In some individuals, the effect of oxygen on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is to cause increased carbon dioxide retention, which may cause drowsiness, headaches, and in severe cases lack of respiration, which may lead to death. People with lung ailments or with central respiratory depression, who receive supplemental oxygen, require careful monitoring.
Contents
Signs and symptoms
In individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and similar lung problems, the clinical features of oxygen toxicity are due to high carbon dioxide content in the blood (hypercapnia). This leads to drowsiness (narcosis), deranged acid-base balance due to respiratory acidosis, and death.
Causes
Many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a low partial pressure of oxygen in the blood. Treatment with supplemental oxygen may improve their well-being; alternatively, in some this can lead to the adverse effect of elevating the carbon dioxide content in the blood (hypercapnia) to levels that may become toxic.
Mechanism
In individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who receive supplemental oxygen, carbon dioxide accumulation may occur through three main mechanisms:
Prevention
In people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, carbon dioxide toxicity can be prevented by careful control of the supplemental oxygen. Just enough oxygen is given to maintain an oxygen saturation of 88 - 92%.