Learn about the different types of oxygen therapy

You need oxygen therapy,” your doctor says. And you can’t answer, because in the first pace, you’re stumped at what oxygen therapy really means. If you’re a COPD patient but still need help figuring out what all the prescriptions and doctor recommendations are, then  .

Oxygen therapy is recommended for COPD patients and those who have breathing problems, but a certain type or duration of therapy may be called for in certain situations. This article will talk about these four different types, when they are used, and their differences from each other.

Acute oxygen therapy

Acute, or short-term, oxygen therapy is commonly used in hospitals and clinics in cases where the patient has hypoxemia. This means that there is a very low amount of oxygen in the blood, resulting from various conditions that prevent adequate oxygen from reaching the blood. Signs of hypoxemia are usually shortness of breath and a very low arterial blood gas (the measurement of oxygen taken from arterial blood). 

In COPD patients, acute exacerbations or attacks can be treated with acute oxygen therapy, along with other medications like bronchodilators, steroids or antibiotics.

Long-term oxygen therapy

Long-term oxygen therapy, or LTOT, is among the most important treatments for COPD patients with chronic hypoxemia. It is used in the home care setting and is intended to provide patients with a continuous oxygen supply. Studies have found that LTOT increases the survival of COPD patients, especially those who are more severely affected.

Once LTOT is prescribed to COPD patients, it is usually lifelong, with current guidelines recommending it to be given at least 15 hours a day. It is administered especially at night, when oxygen levels may go lower as breathing may be more difficult during sleep.

Aside from being able to maintain adequate oxygen levels, long term oxygen therapy has been found to reduce the damage to the lungs and blood vessels brought about by COPD. It can also improve patients’ breathing dynamics, increase tolerance for physical activity and exercise, and even improve neurophysiological responses.

Ambulatory oxygen therapy

Ambulatory oxygen therapy is a type of oxygen therapy intended for patients who are already on LTOT but wish to go outside of the home. It is also intended for those with COPD who experience exercise desaturation or dyspnea during physical activity but benefit from oxygen administration.

This type of therapy consists of lighter equipment that can be carried whenever the patient has to go outside the home, for instance, during grocery shopping, going for check-ups, doing leisure activities or attending social events. Simply put, ambulatory oxygen is for patients who are more mobile outdoors. 

Ambulatory oxygen therapy is only intended for short-term use, thus should not be too frequently offered to patients who depend on LTOT.

Short-burst oxygen therapy

Short burst oxygen therapy, or SBOT, is the occasional use of supplemental oxygen for short periods of about 10-20 minutes duration. It is primarily used to relieve breathlessness in COPD patients, especially following exercise or physical activity, when other medications or treatments are not effective. Though studies have not found any concrete evidence of benefit from SBOT, its use is still widely prescribed for pre-oxygenation before any physical activity, breathlessness after physical exertion or even at rest, and in COPD exacerbations until LTOT or acute oxygen therapy can be given.

SBOT is different from ambulatory oxygen therapy in that it is used only during periods of breathlessness or anticipation of dyspnea, while ambulatory oxygen therapy is the continuous administration of oxygen during physical activity or when the patient is mobile.

Being acquainted with these various types of oxygen therapy can help you understand which types are more appropriate in certain settings and why your doctor may recommend a particular type for you.