Oxygen Conserving Devices: Demand and Pulse
1st July 2009 by admin No CommentsAn oxygen conserving device is used to regulate the delivery of oxygen to the user.
Patients on long term oxygen have to keep an eye on the amount of oxygen they have left whether this is at home or with a portable unit.
As these are units that have to be refilled they hold a certain amount of oxygen for “x” number of hours of use, at the specified flow. When you are using a portable unit it is imperative you have sufficient oxygen for whatever activity you are doing.
You have various options to regulate the oxygen flow - it can be at a constant rate, at specific intervals or targeted to the actual inhaling process. All of these options have a direct relationship to how long the stored oxygen will last. For example if the delivery rate is constant, without any variation at all, the supply will be used up much faster than if it is regulated. This brings up the need to regulate oxygen flow and to do that you need oxygen conserving devices that can increase the range of your oxygen supply.
Note: It is very important that the oxygen delivery you get is based on your doctor’s prescription and guidance - self prescription is definitely not a good idea.
There are two general types of conservers:
a. Demand devices.
- They will supply different volumes of oxygen depending on the length of each inhalation.
- They deliver oxygen when you inhale.
- They can be either mechanical or battery operated.
- They don’t provide a fixed amount of oxygen but a variable amount that is in relation to the length of time the person inhales.
- They don’t provide oxygen during exhalation (hence the saving aspect).
- They deliver a short, initial surge, of oxygen followed by a continuous flow for the remainder of the inhalation.
- In case of any malfunction they will revert automatically to a constant delivery rate.
b. Pulse devices. The provide fixed volumes of oxygen per delivery.
- Basically they deliver oxygen at specific time intervals, geared either to every breath or alternative breath.
- As it is delivered at fixed intervals (according to whatever settings have been placed), there can be inconsistencies with the inhalation timing. We don’t always breathe in at exactly the same intervals; sometimes we breathe more rapidly, for many reasons. This tends to average out.
- They deliver a fixed amount of oxygen per breath setting, no matter the length of the inhalation.
- The delivery is based on the setting number in relation to the delivery intrval where the setting equals a delivery out of every four. For example a setting of 1 will provide oxygen at a rate of 1 every 4 breaths. A setting of 3 will delivery 3 times every 4 breath.
When you are using conserving devices to regulate oxygen flow, and especially when this implies greater exertion such as sports or some form of exercise that makes your body demand more oxygen, make sure you check your oxygen blood saturation levels by using a pulse oxymeter. You can then, if needed, increase the oxygen flow.
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