My grandma recently started requiring supplemental oxygen at home and the nurse told my family to ensure her SP02 isn’t maintained for long periods of time over 95% because this can lead to oxygen toxicity. She is on a medical grade oxygen concentrator which I have read provides approximately 90-95% pure oxygen. (She uses 1-2 concentrators to provide 4-10lpm as needed to maintain SP02 between 90-95%) How does oxygen toxicity work and how quickly can it occur in a situation like this? Articles I have found online are a bit over my head. Thanks!
In: Biology
Does she have COPD? If so the concern is more about CO2 retention. Maybe she meant dependency? Though with home O2 she’s already there, but as far as preventing her needing more. And is she using a regular nasal cannula? Those only deliver up to 6 LPM, about 44% oxygen, compared to 21% in the normal air we breathe.
Edit: we usually think of toxicity with people needing high %, not with chronic supplementation. If I get a chance at work tomorrow I’ll look at UptoDate. There’s a good looking study that I can access from there. I’m an ICU nurse so it will be good to know a little more about it anyway 🙂
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