How to inhale oxygen for cor pulmonale, correct oxygen inhalation is the key

To treat cor pulmonale, you can use oxygen at home, but there are some things to pay attention to when using oxygen. It is not the case that the more oxygen you use, the better. You need to control the number of times you use oxygen, take good care of yourself at ordinary times, quit smoking in time, and do more breathing exercises.

1. How to use oxygen in patients with cor pulmonale

Oxygen inhalation is an important method for treating cor pulmonale, but improper oxygen inhalation will have adverse effects on patients. This is because the breathing regulation of patients with cor pulmonale is different from that of healthy people. The respiratory rate of a healthy person can change under different circumstances, which is regulated by the respiratory center. Chemoreceptors and the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood also participate in respiratory regulation. The carbon dioxide concentration in the blood of patients with cor pulmonale increases significantly, and breathing is maintained by stimulating chemical receptors through low blood oxygen concentration. If too much oxygen is inhaled, the stimulation of the chemoreceptors caused by the hypoxic state will be relieved, breathing will slow down, carbon dioxide retention will be aggravated, and breathing may even stop, posing a danger to the patient's life. Therefore, when it comes to oxygen therapy for patients with cor pulmonale, the more oxygen they inhale, the better. Instead, oxygen should be given appropriately based on the severity of the disease. A continuous low-flow oxygen supply method should be used, with the flow rate on the oxygen meter controlled at 1 to 1.5 liters per minute and the oxygen concentration preferably at 25% to 29%.

2. Nursing of cor pulmonale

Patients who have developed cor pulmonale should be treated separately during the remission phase and the acute phase. The disease is prone to recurrence, making the condition increasingly worse, but most links in the course of cor pulmonale are reversible. If the infection can be actively controlled in a timely manner and the heart and lung functions can be improved, it will have a positive significance for the outcome of the disease.

During the remission period, it is advisable to adopt comprehensive measures combining Chinese and Western medicine for prevention and treatment, such as encouraging patients to perform breathing exercises, cold resistance exercises, and advocating smoking cessation, so as to prevent or reduce and alleviate acute attacks and delay further development of the disease. In recent years, long-term home oxygen therapy has been advocated to improve prognosis.