Home oxygen therapy: your choices. (Health Care Industry Spotlight).Advances in home oxygen therapy are enabling people diagnosed with respiratory disorders, such as COPD COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD abbr. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease n. Abbr. COPD A chronic lung disease, such as asthma or emphysema, in which breathing becomes slowed or forced. ) and emphysema emphysema (ĕmfĭsē`mə), pathological or physiological enlargement or overdistention of the air sacs of the lungs. A major cause of pulmonary insufficiency in chronic cigarette smokers, emphysema is a progressive disease that commonly , to live more active and rewarding lives. Over the past twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. , some of the most significant advances have been introduced, giving people choices in oxygen therapy that include effective ambulatory solutions. Ambulatory oxygen, as defined by the National Association of Medical Direction for Respiratory Care (NAMDRC), is an oxygen system that weighs less than 10 pounds and has a duration of at least 3.5 hours at a continuous flow or pulsed equivalence of 2 liters per minute. Prior to the recent developments of ambulatory oxygen systems, the two methods of home oxygen therapy were a large liquid oxygen reservoir or an oxygen concentrator An oxygen concentrator, also called an oxygen generator, is a device used to provide oxygen therapy to a patient at substantially higher concentrations than those of ambient air, used as an alternative to tanks of compressed oxygen. . Liquid oxygen Liquid oxygen systems use portable, thermally insulated containers of extremely cold liquid oxygen. When warmed, this liquid oxygen converts to a continuous flow of gas that can be inhaled in·hale v. in·haled, in·hal·ing, in·hales v.tr. 1. To draw (air or smoke, for example) into the lungs by breathing; inspire. 2. to provide supplemental oxygen. Liquid systems usually consist of two units: a large stationary reservoir and a smaller portable unit. The homecare provider must refill the stationary reservoir on a regular basis; the portable unit can be filled from the stationary unit by the patient Liquid oxygen warms and evaporates at a fixed rate, even while not in use. Oxygen concentrators Oxygen concentrators are stationary, electrical units that absorb nitrogen from ordinary room air and provide a continuous flow of oxygen. These systems are less expensive than liquid oxygen and do not need to be refilled. Typically, they are the most cost-effective source of oxygen therapy. Approximately 80% of Medicare home oxygen patients use oxygen concentrators in the home; however, concentrators are not an ambulatory source of oxygen. When ambulation am·bu·late intr.v. am·bu·lat·ed, am·bu·lat·ing, am·bu·lates To walk from place to place; move about. [Latin ambul is required, most patients rely on lightweight gaseous portable cylinders paired with a conserving device. Some patients are provided only with a large, heavy, non-ambulatory E cylinder that is pulled around on a cart. Unlike liquid oxygen, compressed gas cylinders compressed gas cylinders, n.pl the color-coded storage cylinders containing either nitrous oxide (light blue) or oxygen (green or white) under pressure; used in controlled combination to induce conscious sedation. do not evaporate. This allows the patient to take along extra cylinders for extended outings, which is the key feature and benefit to compressed gas systems. Eventually, the cylinders must be refilled or replaced by the homecare providers when the patient depletes the oxygen supply. A revolutionary alternative The latest method for providing home oxygen therapy is found in CHAD Therapeutics' TOTAL O2 Delivery System, which serves as an in-home filling system. First introduced in 1998, the TOTAL O2 system represents the next-generation of technology by combining ambulatory oxygen therapy with in-home filling capabilities. It operates in the same manner as a traditional oxygen concentrator, but has the added advantage of filling small, lightweight oxygen cylinders that weigh between 3.5 and 7 lbs. when full. This gives patients freedom to fill their own portable cylinders easily and safely with an unlimited oxygen supply, thereby resulting in complete independence for the patient. Since its introduction in 1998, CHAD's distribution has extended worldwide and they have received positive reports from patients whose lives have been enhanced because of the TOTAL O2 system. One gentleman wrote CHAD a letter to inform them that the TOTAL O2 Delivery System allowed him and his wife to take a 90-day cruise around the world. His wife is on oxygen therapy and a local homecare provider coordinated with their cruise line A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the to bring the TOTAL O2 system onto the ship. The unit fit conveniently in their stateroom state·room n. A private cabin or compartment with sleeping accommodations on a ship or train. stateroom Noun 1. a private room on a ship 2. and these friendly travelers were able to visit each port and participate in many shipboard ship·board n. 1. The condition of being aboard a ship: on shipboard. 2. Archaic The side of a ship. adj. activities, all because they were not burdened by having to locate oxygen suppliers at every port. They were able to easily fill her portable cylinders directly from their room, leaving them free to enjoy their vacation. Plus, CHAD has incorporated their OXYLITE Ambulatory Oxygen Systems as a component of the TOTAL O2 system. They are lightweight, portable systems that come in a variety of sizes and configurations. A respiratory therapist in Connecticut wrote CHAD a letter thanking them for the OXYLITE portable systems. Her mother is an oxygen therapy patient and ever since she discovered CHAD's products, she has been able to resume all types of activity. Last year, they took a trip to Disney World and her mother was able to enjoy her vacation without the worry of her oxygen source depleting. They took along several extra, pre-filled cylinders, which afforded them a long-term solution to her mother's oxygen needs. It is this type of freedom and independence that CHAD is tries to give back to the patient. Holly Dysart-Ward is Art & Media Manager for CHAD Therapeutics, Inc. The Chatsworth based company is one of the foremost innovators of quality portable and in-home oxygen systems and is the leading supplier of reliable, state-of-the-art oxygen conserving devices. To team more about their product line, visit their website at WWW WWW or W3: see World Wide Web. (World Wide Web) The common host name for a Web server. The "www-dot" prefix on Web addresses is widely used to provide a recognizable way of identifying a Web site. .AMBULATORY02.COM (1) (Computer Output Microfilm) Creating microfilm or microfiche from the computer. A COM machine receives print-image output from the computer either online or via tape or disk and creates a film image of each page. . |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion