Ambulantná terapia 4/2008

HOME OXYGEN THERAPY – DIFFERENT DISEASES, DIFFERENT INDICATIONS, DIFFERENT AIMS

There are different aims and indications for home oxygen therapy in different diseases. This overview deals with home oxygen therapy in two common lung diseases – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is a life saving treatment for patients with COPD and resting hypoxemia. Thus the main purpose of LTOT in COPD is prolongation of survival. The main purpose of home and usually intermittent oxygen therapy in advanced lung cancer is palliation of severe dyspnea. Both diseases are caused mainly by etiological factor which is well-known, still not enough restricted.

Keywords: oxygen, therapy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, dyspnea