Oxygen

Question 1

Mechanism of action

Answer 1

Oxygen therapy in severe
asthma increases the
partial pressure of oxygen
in the air and therefore
encourages more oxygen
to bind to the
haemoglobin in the blood
which increases oxygen
saturation levels

Question 2

Clinical use

Answer 2

Long-term treatment
(>15h/day) in
patients with severe
COPD, severe chronic
asthma, CF, obstructive sleep
apnoea. Short burst
oxygen therapy (10-
20 minutes) in
patients who suffer
episodes of
breathlessness.
Ambulatory oxygen
therapy (generally
<4h/day) is
prescribed to
patients who are on
long-term oxygen
therapy who need to
be away from home
on a regular basis.

Question 3

Adverse effects

Answer 3

Hot flushes, vaginal
bleeding/discharge,
suppression of
menstruation,
gastrointestinal disturbances,
headache, light-
headedness,
decreased platelet
counts

Question 4

oxygen saturation of a healthy individual?

Answer 4

greater than 96%

Question 5

how to treat patients with low blood oxygen levels

Answer 5

treated with additional pure oxygen or air/oxygen mixtures via a mask, nasal cannula, or tracheal intubation to alleviate the symptoms caused by low oxygen levels in the tissues