Emergency oxygen therapy for the breathless patient. Guidelines prepared by North West Oxygen Group.

Effect of normobaric hyperoxia on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Objective(s):Gentamicin sulphate (GS) nephrotoxicity seems to be related to the generation of reactive oxygen species. There is evidence that oxygen preconditioning increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Materials and Methods: Forty eight female rats were divided into 6 groups (n=8) as follows: group 1 was the control, group 2 received daily GS, groups 3,4 and 5 received oxygen 2 hr/day...

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of open fractures and crush injuries.

This article focuses on the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOt) in the treatment of open fractures and crush injuries. Based on the clinical evidence and cost analysis, medical institutions that treat open fracture and crush injuries are justified in incorporating HBOt as a standard of care. Both Medicare and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society guidelines list crush injuries as an appro...

Is it time to change the approach to oxygen therapy in the breathless patient?

I n a recent commentary we argued that the traditional representation of the haemoglobin oxygen dissociation curve developed by physiologists may be disconcerting for clinicians because of the prominence of the steep slope of oxygen desaturation with falling oxygen tension. We proposed that a different alignment may be preferable for clinicians in demonstrating its beneficial characteristics, e...

Oxygen therapy in the breathless patient.

Carbon monoxide poisoning: easy to treat but difficult to recognise.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a common medical emergency and a frequent cause of deliberate or accidental death. It can cause acute and chronic central nervous system damage which may be minimised by prompt treatment with 100% oxygen or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, recognition of this intoxication can be difficult. Failure to diagnose it may have disastrous effects on the patient, an...