Hey, I just wanted to go over oxygen toxicity. And I've seen some questions about how much oxygen is too much. At what point am I just hurting myself and damaging my lungs? So, I found an article about it and wanted to walk through it and tell you what it means for someone that's on oxygen therapy.
Understanding Oxygen Toxicity Thresholds
In terms of how much is too much according to the University of Kansas School of Nursing in conjunction with the VA, they looked at some research here. If you want to look this up yourself, there's a link at the bottom. The bottom line is if you're breathing in above 60% oxygen saturation for over 24 hours, that can damage your lungs. It leads to free radicals that create edema or swelling within your lungs that over a long period of time makes your lungs worse and worse.
Check out the study here:
Nasal Cannula Oxygen Concentration Levels
With a nasal cannula - if you're on oxygen therapy - when looking at how much auction concentration am I getting at night? This is the correlating: If you're at one liter per minute, you're at 24%. At two liters per minute, you're at 28%, and so on until ten liters per minute. Most people are within this two-liter range.
So that's what you're looking at when it comes to home oxygen therapy using a nasal cannula – understanding how it works with different systems like the oxy system provided by Sleep Easy Technology.
Looking for the perfect soft nasal cannula for comfortable oxygen therapy?
Oxygen Flow and Its Impact on Therapy
It’s essential to know how much oxygen you're getting through a nasal cannula. The flow rate determines the oxygen percentage you inhale. A flow of 1–2 liters per minute delivers about 24–28% oxygen, enough to maintain healthy oxygen saturation in most cases.
However, if you're receiving higher oxygen concentrations, it's important to monitor for signs of oxygen toxicity, which can occur when oxygen percentages remain elevated for extended periods.
Sleep Easy Technology Benchtop Testing & User Testing Results
We have done benchtop testing as well as user testing to show that our oxy system provides similar levels of oxygen concentration as a nasal cannula. For example, the red line in our graph represents someone's nasal cannula or what they would receive based on the chart mentioned earlier. When we test it with the oxy system using our simulation lung that we built, these are the levels of oxygen concentration (the blue line).
For those within that two liters per minute range, it works exactly the same as a nasal cannula. Once you get up to higher liter flows, there is some variation due to factors like the rate at which oxygen flows out of the tube.
Monitoring Oxygen Levels for Safe Therapy
For those using oxygen therapy, ensuring that the oxygen flow is within a safe range is critical. Using devices like pulse oximeters can help track oxygen saturation and ensure you're receiving the correct amount without risking long-term exposure to high oxygen levels. This monitoring is particularly important when using systems that deliver more than 2 liters per minute of oxygen.
Need an oxygen therapy system that puts comfort first? Explore our full range of solutions for your respiratory care needs here.
Oxygen Concentration Levels with Oxy System vs Nasal Cannula
In terms of whether you're getting too much oxygen with an oxy system? According to that study I brought up earlier, you won't touch 60% oxygen concentration when breathing normally due to bringing in more air than just what comes from your nasal cannula or our product. These are the levels of oxygen therapy that you'll get using either system.
So rest assured knowing that if you have concerns about receiving too much oxygen while using home-based systems such as Sleep Easy Technology's oxy system or traditional nasal cannulas – both are designed with safety parameters and deliver similar results for most users within their appropriate ranges.
The Importance of Humidifiers in Oxygen Therapy
For patients on long-term oxygen therapy, dry air can lead to irritation and discomfort in the respiratory tract. Humidifiers can be added to oxygen systems to moisturize the air and reduce irritation, providing a more comfortable breathing experience. This is especially beneficial for those using higher oxygen flows, as dry air can lead to nasal discomfort.
Looking for the perfect soft nasal cannula? Check out our oxygen therapy products designed for safe and comfortable use here.
Check out this Loom link if you want to hear me talk about it some more:
See our Oxyllow Oxygen Pillow System in our Shop, a "no-wear" oxygen alternative.