Why Is It Dangerous to Increase Home Oxygen Flow Rate Above the Doctor's Prescription?

Oxygen therapy is a technique designed to deliver medically therapeutic amounts of oxygen to individuals with various breathing impairments. Doctors prescribe oxygen flow rates that match the needs of each patient.

The Facts

• According to the American Thoracic Society, doctors determine the need for supplemental oxygen by measuring the oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH level of a blood sample. This analysis is called an arterial blood gas (ABG) test.

Prescription Treatment

• Doctors prescribe home oxygen flow rates in the same manner they prescribe conventional medications. Patients should not increase or lower these rates without a doctor's consent.

Increasing Oxygen Flow

• Increasing the flow of oxygen above the prescribed level can trigger a potentially dangerous decrease in a patient's breathing rate.

Tracking Oxygen Levels

• Doctors track the ongoing need for oxygen with a pulse oximeter, which reads oxygen levels by evaluating the color of light passed through a patient's finger. They may adjust the prescribed oxygen flow as needed.

Considerations

• Lowering the flow of home oxygen below the prescribed level may deplete the oxygen in heart and brain tissue, leading to changes in heart function or memory loss.