![]() A person wearing a simple face mask | |
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Synonyms | supplemental oxygen, enriched air |
AHFS/Drugs.com | FDA Professional Drug Information |
Routes of administration | inhaled |
Drug class | medical gas |
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Formula | O2 |
Oxygen therapy, also called supplemental oxygen, is when oxygen gas (O2) is used for medical treatment by giving the gas to the patient for inhalation.[1] It can be used for ilnesses like hypoxia, carbon monoxide toxicity, and cluster headaches.[2] It can be used over a long time for people who suffer with illnesses that lower oxygen levels in the blood like COPD and cystic fibrosis.[3] It can be given in a few different ways such as through a nasal cannula, face mask, or inside a hyperbaric chamber.[4][5][6] Oxygen levels need to be high enough for respiration to keep a patient healthy and for normal cell metabolism.[7][8]