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For a patient on oxygen therapy,is it necessary to check oxygen saturation all the time?

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Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Is it necessary to check oxygen saturation if the patient is on oxygen for shortness of breath?
Answered by Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan is a qualified Specialist in Pulmonary Medicine, Tuberculosis, and Respiratory Diseases with extensive years of clinical experience. He has a vast network of professional contacts in the medical field, an outstanding ability to provide healthcare with an emphasis on holistic approach, treating the patients as a physical, emotional, and social being, has an excellent bedside manner, and an admirable ability to establish rapport with the patient. He also has exceptional skills in imparting health related teachings for a complete and speedy recovery of his patients and has an incomparable critical thinking and analytical skills.

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Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

As you said that patient needs oxygen for shortness of breath, it is absolutely not required to measure the oxygen saturation all the time.

But, if dyspnea (shortness of breath) is due to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) that is due to excessive smoking, then controlled oxygen should be delivered by monitoring oxygen saturation through pulse oximetry. The reason behind it is that carbon dioxide is the only source of stimulation for respiration. When a patient is on oxygen and if he gets ready made oxygen from outside the drive of respiration is depressed. Also, uncontrolled oxygen delivery has its own complications.

To monitor response to oxygen given, the only method is to check saturation non-invasively. So, for this type of use, it is not advised to check saturation regularly. But if you require oxygen continuously, then it should be monitored through pulse oximetry.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At June 6, 2015
Reviewed At January 17, 2023

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan is a qualified Specialist in Pulmonary Medicine, Tuberculosis, and Respiratory Diseases with extensive years of clinical experience. He has a vast network of professional contacts in the medical field, an outstanding ability to provide healthcare with an emphasis on holistic approach, treating the patients as a physical, emotional, and social being, has an excellent bedside manner, and an admirable ability to establish rapport with the patient. He also has exceptional skills in imparting health related teachings for a complete and speedy recovery of his patients and has an incomparable critical thinking and analytical skills.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

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Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan
Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan

Allergy Specialist

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Amol Kumar Wasudeorao Diwan is a qualified Specialist in Pulmonary Medicine, Tuberculosis, and Respiratory Diseases with extensive years of clinical experience. He has a vast network of professional contacts in the medical field, an outstanding ability to provide healthcare with an emphasis on holistic approach, treating the patients as a physical, emotional, and social being, has an excellent bedside manner, and an admirable ability to establish rapport with the patient. He also has exceptional skills in imparting health related teachings for a complete and speedy recovery of his patients and has an incomparable critical thinking and analytical skills.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality
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