Oxygen Therapy

Question 1

What is oxygen therapy?

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 1

• administration of oxygen at concentrayions greater than that in ambient air (21%)
• used to treat or prevent the symptoms and manifestations of hypoxia

Question 2

What conditions is oxygen use suggested for?

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 2

• any condition which causes hypoxia
• cardiac arrest
• initial treatment during critical illness (shock, sepsis, anaphylaxis)
• during serious illness when hypoaexima is suspected or has been confirmed e.g. pneumonia, acute asthma, COPD
• during or after conscious sedation or anasthesia

Question 3

List ways oxygen is delivered to the patient.

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 3

• nasal cannula
• venturi mask- controlled O2 delivery when you want to be sure of the concentration delivered
• nebuliser mask
• bag-valve mask
• non-rebreather mask

Question 4

What are some complications of oxygen therapy?

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 4

• prolonged hyperoxygenation and hyperoxia can resut in pulomary toxicity and lung injury
• increases the level of free raidcs which creates inbalance between free radicals and antioxidants, meaning they cant be neutralised causing harm

Question 5

What is pulmonary administration?

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 5

• delivery of medication dose via the lungs in aerosol form to achieve local effects, often bronchodialation or inproving clearance of pulmonary secretions
• done by nebulisers, dry powder inhalers, and metered dose inhalers

Question 6

What are the benefits of using a nebulizer?

(Royal Marsden, 2020)

Answer 6

• can delovery drugs to the lungs in greater amounts, consistently,
• however can be expensive and not easily portable,