Oxygen Therapy for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Oxygen is an important component for humans to breathe. If it cannot be obtained naturally, it will likely need oxygen therapy assistance.

The inability of a person to get oxygen naturally usually occurs when suffering from respiratory disorders. Through oxygen therapy, one can improve sleep quality and physical strength, as well as overall quality of life to be better.

Reasons for COPD Patients Need Oxygen Therapy
One health problem that usually requires oxygen therapy is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a long-term disease that affects the lungs, namely chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is usually characterized by a cough with phlegm that does not heal and shortness of breath.

Through oxygen therapy, patients will get more oxygen, even though the breathing process is impaired or cannot be done freely. Oxygen therapy may also increase life expectancy of COPD patients.

For patients to get oxygen easily, there are several ways to do it, starting with using oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, and liquid oxygen devices. Currently, oxygen therapy does not have to be done in the hospital because there is already a practical portable oxygen therapy device that can be carried anywhere.

Oxygen Therapy for COPD
To determine whether or not oxygen therapy is needed, COPD patients will undergo a test. An examination will be carried out to measure oxygen levels in the patient's blood. If the test results indicate low blood oxygen levels, your doctor will recommend oxygen therapy.

Another thing that must be considered is how long a person must undergo oxygen therapy every day. In some people, this therapy must be carried out continuously, both day and night. Those who are advised by doctors to undergo oxygen therapy continuously will be instructed to do it at least 15 hours or longer in a day.

There are also COPD patients who only need to do it at night, or known as nocturnal oxygen. This type of oxygen therapy is done in severe COPD patients who experience shortness of breath while sleeping at night. There are also patients who only need oxygen when on the move, for example when exercising, which is called executive oxygen.

However, not always COPD patients must undergo oxygen therapy. Some patients may only take a few weeks. Termination of this therapy can be done when there are no complaints in COPD. But if the patient's condition is too severe, oxygen therapy may need to be done for life.

Oxygen therapy requires proper procedures in its implementation. Therefore, it is important to conduct oxygen therapy based on recommendations or under the supervision of a doctor, to avoid undesirable things.