How do Oxygen Concentrator and Cylinder Act as a Boon for Covid-19 Patients?

The second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has made many people suffer from prolonged lung infections and severe oxygen deprivation. Due to the increasing infection rate of coronavirus and shortage in availability of hospital beds and oxygen cylinders, many patients are recommended to make use of oxygen concentrators at their respective homes to track oxygen levels and avoid any further fatalities. Eventually, with the alarming demand for oxygen cylinders, there is an acute shortage of medical oxygen everywhere and this leads to the higher usage of oxygen concentrators as an alternative. However, to carry out oxygen therapy at home, one should be careful about the risk factors too. So, before moving ahead, let’s know a bit more about the basics of oxygen concentrators.

What is an Oxygen Concentrator?

An oxygen concentrator is a type of medical device that provides a high concentration of oxygen directly to you by absorbing other components from the air. It is an electronic device that can easily separate oxygen from room air. The device works on the basis of a principle known as – “rapid pressure swing operation”. According to this principle, an oxygen concentrator absorbs nitrogen by using zeolite minerals and captures 92-95% of pure oxygen as the primary gas to release. The pressure valves present in oxygen concentrators additionally help in regulating oxygen supply ranging from 1-10 liters per minute.  Apart from Covid-19 patients, this device is helpful for people having breathing problems because of other respiratory problems such as Asthma, Lung Cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Flu, and many others. 

What is the Basic Difference Between Oxygen Concentrators or Cylinders?

Oxygen concentrators are just like air conditioners, which can take an ample amount of air from our surroundings and can provide an infinite supply of medical-grade oxygen continuously with an uninterrupted power supply. Whereas, Oxygen cylinders have a limited amount of compressed oxygen within them and need refiling. 

Furthermore, oxygen concentrators are portable and are an easy option to carry than massive oxygen cylinders. However, as per doctors, oxygen concentrators are not the best option for those patients who have severe comorbidities and complications. After reaching stability, doctors allow patients to use oxygen concentrators at their homes for their comfort. In addition, though oxygen concentrators are more expensive than oxygen cylinders, it’s a one-time investment.

Most importantly, there are different liters of oxygen that are provided to patients depending on their need with particular oxygen percentage requirements in the lungs too. So, there is a need of taking proper advice from your doctor to monitor the flow of oxygen and regulate the liters of oxygen per minute. This helps the patient to get the exact amount of oxygen required and saves them from being over oxygenated.   

When Should One Need Oxygen Concentrator?

As per the doctor’s recommendation, patients who are mildly or moderately ill and having oxygen saturation levels between 90-94% should depend on an oxygen concentrator. However, anyone having an oxygen saturation level depleting below 80-85% should definitely switch to an oxygen cylinder or liquid medical oxygen supply and may need hospitalization.

Safety Measures of Using Oxygen Concentrator

One should be very careful while using an oxygen concentrator at home for the safety of your family members. Handling oxygen concentrators without proper guidance from doctors may result in dangerous health problems. Following are some basic safety measures that should be taken while using an oxygen concentrator:

• One should not use an oxygen concentrator near an open flame or near someone who is smoking.
• It is the best option to place the oxygen concentrator in an open space. This prevents overheating and sudden breakdowns.
• Do not try to block any of the vents of the oxygen concentrator. This may trouble the well-functioning of the device.
• While getting any kind of beeps or sounds, immediately follow the manual to stop causing any adverse effect on the patient’s health.  

How to Improve Oxygen Levels for Covid-19 Patients?

According to Indian Health Ministry, Proning is the technique that helps Covid-19 patients to increase their oxygen levels in home isolation. Proning is the precise and safe process of turning a patient from their back onto their stomach. Patients have to sleep by lying their face down. Prone positioning improves the distribution and volume of air in the lungs and helps in overall breathing quality and oxygen flow in the entire body. Patients who stay at home isolation can improve their oxygen levels from 92 to 94 by practicing proning.

The Bottom Line

In the coming days, the growing cases of respiratory disorders like asthma and COPD all across the globe are going to boost the global oxygen concentrator and cylinder market significantly. Due to the dreadful impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, people are more cautious about their health conditions. Using oxygen concentrators at home is trending nowadays, mostly in families where senior citizens and kids are there. The usage of oxygen concentrators will save people from many respiratory disorders and help them to build a good immune system for a better tomorrow.

About the Author(s)

     

Rosy Behera

Rosy Behera holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and is currently working as a content writing professional. She loves to portray her thoughts and ideas via her command on words. Grabbing her audience’s attention with her creative write ups is one of her biggest assets. Apart from writing, she is a certified “Odisi” dancer and has done Gardharva in Drawing, Painting and Arts. She always explores new things through travel and is a big foodie.