Idiopathic Pulmonary
Fibrosis and Oxygen
Therapy
Louie Boitano, RCP
Pulmonary Clinic
University of Washington
Medical Center
Effects of Idiopathic
Pulmonary Fibrosis
 Increases your work of breathing, by
increasing elasticity of the lung tissue,
causing shortness of breath with
exertion.
 Affects oxygenation of the blood by
decreasing the movement of
oxygen
from the air you breathe
into your
lungs, through
the alveolar membrane,
and into the
blood stream.
Effects of Decreased Blood
Oxygenation
 Further increases the work of breathing,
causing increased shortness of
breath, discomfort, anxiety
and
decreased activity.
 Chronic decreased blood oxygenation
has been shown to decrease life span
by affecting your heart function.
Supplemental Oxygen Therapy
 Support blood oxygenation >90%
 Can decrease shortness of breath with
activity and increase your level
of
activity .
 Increase life span by decreasing the
work of the heart and maintaining
adequate oxygenation of the
body
tissues.
Determining The Need For
Oxygen Therapy
 Oximetry - a non-invasive means of
measuring the percent of oxygen
saturation in your blood.
Can be
measured while
asleep, at rest and
with exercise.
 Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) - a sample of
blood, usually taken from the artery of
your wrist, is analyzed for oxygen
content.
Supplemental Oxygen Therapy
 An oxygen source provides a prescribed
flow of oxygen gas measured in
liters
per minute.
 Enriches the oxygen concentration of
inhaled air to drive more oxygen into
the blood.
 Supplemental oxygen is considered a
drug and should be prescribed
according to the amount necessary to
maintain the blood oxygen level >
90%.
Oxygen Therapy Systems
 Oxygen Concentrators: separate
nitrogen from the air, providing
oxygen at
a concentration of
approximately 9496%
 Provide 1-5 liters/minute
 Beneficial for night time oxygen support
and daytime support within the
home.
 Electricity dependent; requires backup
source.
Oxygen Therapy Systems
 Continuous Flow Compressed Gas
Oxygen: Usually provides 1-10
liters/minute.
 Portable but not convenient; bulky
cylinders.
 Portable E cylinders provide only a short
period of support, 2-3 hours @ 2
lpm.
 Require significant storage space in the
Oxygen Therapy Systems
 Portable pulse dose oxygen (liquid
or gas O2) : provides 1-6 liters/min.
 Most portable and convenient supply.
 Conserves the O2 supply and provides
the longest period of support.
 Limited support due to the speed of
pulse dose response in relation
to a
person’s breath rate.
Oxygen Therapy Systems
 Continuous flow liquid oxygen:
Provides 1-6 liters/min.
 Highest oxygen support in smallest
containment when used with
reservoir
nasal cannula
systems.
 Best high flow support system with
progressively decreasing blood
oxygenation, and when
pulse dose O2 is no longer supportive.
Supplemental Oxygen Therapy
 Can improve your quality of life by
decreasing shortness of breath
with
activity, and maintain an
improved
level of activity.
 Can increase your life span by
decreasing the work of the heart.
 Can provide support for travel and travel
related activities.