Home Oxygen Systems

There are a number of conditions that can result in a person not getting enough oxygen into their blood stream. In these situations a physician will often prescribe home oxygen therapy. A doctor must prescribe oxygen because when used to treat a medical condition, oxygen is considered a drug.

Adequate levels of oxygen in your blood:

• Reduces stress on your heart,
• Reduces stress on your lungs,
• Keeps every cell in your body alive.

Your heart, lungs, brain cells and every other major organ in your body can suffer serious irreversible damage without enough oxygen.

It is essential that you follow your doctor's orders regarding:

• The number of hours per day you are on oxygen.
• The liter flow you use.

If you do not follow your doctor's orders, you may or may not notice any immediate negative effects - but your body can be seriously affected and it will show up eventually.

Not getting enough oxygen is like not getting enough of any other vital nutrient. It may not harm you immediately but you will slowly damage your cells and organs and be susceptible to other illnesses.

And you may be at greater risk of:

• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Brain damage
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage

If you are having problems following your doctor's prescription, you can talk directly with our Respiratory Therapist who may have some helpful solutions.

An oxygen concentrator is often the optimal delivery method for home oxygen therapy. It runs off your standard household electricity:

Go to WWW.DISCOVERYCAMPUS.COM/PUB002/PUB002.SWF for an interactive presentation about home oxygen therapy produced in cooperation with the American Lung Association.

Additional information can be found at WWW.OXYGENATION.COM regaring home oxygen therapy.