Oxygen Concentrator – How it works and its importance
The current COVID-19 outbreak has altered the lives of millions of individuals. The lungs are the primary target of COVID 19, and they sustain the most damage. It is believed that less than 10% of patients may initially experience just moderate flu-like symptoms and that the sickness can occasionally worsen and cause more severe symptoms. This reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, causing the lungs to exert greater effort. This results in respiratory issues such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and wheezing. The respiratory systems of these patients require assistance, so lung-protective ventilation is required.
In tandem with the exponential increase in COVID-19 cases, the number of individuals exhibiting severe symptoms has increased. Because of this, our health care system is under a lot of pressure to meet the growing demand for medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders.
This has made more people need portable oxygen concentrators, especially older people and people who have to travel a long way to get medical care.
Everyone is aware of the importance of oxygen concentrators, but few understand what they are and how to choose and utilize them properly.
It aids everyone who has difficulty breathing, not just people with COVID 19. We know that they exist because we have discovered them. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep apnea have been using them for many years and have improved as a result.
There are two primary types of oxygen concentrators:
- Continuous-flow oxygen concentrators emit a constant supply of oxygen.
- Pulse oxygen concentrators watch how a person breathes and only give out oxygen when the person takes a breath.
Operation of an oxygen concentrator
We’ve long been interested in how portable oxygen cylinders function. At its most fundamental, an oxygen concentrator draws in air, purifies it, and then recirculates the clean air into space. It is made up of an oxygen mask, a pressure valve, a filter with a mesh screen, and a pressure regulator.
It breathes air that contains 80% oxygen and 20% nitrogen. The cube-shaped material Zoolite is perforated on all six sides. It works as a filter because it takes nitrogen, germs, and dust out of the air and puts them back in.
This technique produces air that is between 90 and 95% pure oxygen. This feedback loop guarantees that the user will never be oxygen-depleted.
A portable oxygen cylinder needs to be filled up every so often, but an oxygen concentrator can run all the time.
A doctor’s note is required to install a home oxygen concentrator. If your doctor gives you permission, you can meet with a company representative to learn more about how oxygen concentrators operate.
When is the use of an oxygen concentrator recommended?
If any of the following symptoms are present, pulmonologists tell their patients to use a portable oxygen concentrator:
When a person is only mildly or moderately ill, their oxygen saturation falls below 94%. Asthma, flu, COVID 19, lung cancer, COPD, CHF, CF, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and CF are all possible causes. The most reliable and effective way to give oxygen therapy at home is with a Philips oxygen concentrator.
Due to a lack of oxygen, the use of oxygen concentrators has increased in popularity. Respirico manufactures the greatest oxygen concentrators in the healthcare market.
The Bottom Line
Oxygen concentrators can also help people with oxygen saturation levels of less than 85%. This is really a temporary solution. In this case, the person needs to go to the hospital and have access to a high-flow oxygen cylinder.
Because of how sick they are, people in the ICU shouldn’t use oxygen concentrators.