ambulatory oxygen therapy

Ambulatory Oxygen Therapy

refers to the provision of oxygen therapy during exercise and activities of daily living
ambulatory oxygen therapy can be prescribed in patients on long term oxygen therapy (LTOT), who are mobile and need to or can leave the home on a regular basis.
type of portable device provided will depend on the patient's mobility and it has been shown that relatively few patients with COPD actually use ambulatory oxygen therapy for more than 4 hours daily in the first instance
characteristics of longer-term concordance are unknown
indicated for the following conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- severe chronic asthma
- interstitial lung disease
- cystic fibrosis
- pulmonary vascular disease
- primary pulmonary hypertension
ambulatory oxygen has been shown to be effective in increasing exercise capacity and reducing breathlessness in patients with exercise arterial oxygen desaturation, defined as a fall in SaO2 of 4% to a value <90%
- purpose of ambulatory oxygen is to enable the patient to leave the home for a longer period of time, to improve daily activities and quality of life
- patients who are candidates for ambulatory oxygen prescription will be either already on LTOT or they will have a PaO2 above the limit for LTOT prescription but show evidence of exercise de-saturation
- ambulatory oxygen therapy should only be prescribed after appropriate assessment by the hospital specialist

Notes:

ambulatory oxygen therapy is:
- not recommended in patients with chronic lung disease and mild hypoxaemia (not on LTOT) without exercise de-saturation
- not recommended for patients with chronic heart failure

Reference:

British Thoracic Society (January 2006). Report on Clinical Component for the Home Oxygen Service in England and Wales.

Last reviewed 01/2018

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