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Palliative cancer care - dyspnoea - Management
What are the adverse effects of oxygen therapy?
- Oxygen therapy has potential psychosocial and drug-induced adverse effects which can influence patient acceptability and tolerability, and hence compliance.
- Psychosocial adverse effects include:
- Psychological dependence. Being deprived of oxygen for even a short period may provoke acute anxiety and hence dyspnoea.
- Social restriction. Oxygen equipment severely limits mobility inside and outside the house, and some people feel a social stigma and embarrassment.
- Drug-induced adverse effects include:
- Oxygen toxicity. High concentrations over long periods can cause lung damage.
- Lung atelectasis. Oxygen is very soluble and may cause a reduced amount of air in part of the lungs, resulting in a loss of lung volume.
- Drying of airways. Oxygen therapy contains less water vapour than air, which can lead to discomfort owing to its drying effect, particularly on the nasal mucosa when using nasal cannulae.
- Combustibility. People receiving oxygen therapy must not smoke or use oxygen while close to gas stoves or lighted fireplaces because of the fire hazard.
[Booth and Dudgeon, 2006]
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