Long-term oxygen treatment in chronic respiratory failure

Chronic respiratory failure (CRF) is the leading cause of mortality in patients with pulmonary diseases. One of the key treatments for CRF is long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). The main purpose of LTOT is to improve the quality of life, increase physical performance, reduce the frequency of exacerbations and mortality of patients. It is recommended to use oxygen therapy for at least 15-16 hours a day, and if there is no effect, increase this time to 24 hours. Indications for LTOT have remained unchanged for a long time. The decision on the appointment of LTOT should be based on three-fold results of the gas composition of arterial blood, and the assessment of gas exchange parameters can be made only after stabilization of the condition (3-4 weeks after exacerbation). It is also worth considering the possibility of hypercapnia in patients and the likelihood of aggravation of the patient's condition due to oxygen-induced hypercapnia and respiratory acidosis. Despite the existence of numerous studies concerning the use of LTOT, most of them have been conducted on patients with COPD, which creates the need for a deeper study of the effectiveness of this method in patients with other diseases. The use of long-term oxygen therapy has a positive effect on the quality of life, physical performance, the frequency of exacerbations, hospitalizations and patient survival. There are various methods of oxygen delivery, which allows the use of LTOT not only at rest, but also when moving the patient over long distances. It is important to note that in addition to prescribing LTOT, patients need to change their lifestyle, stop smoking, and receive adequate drug therapy for the underlying disease.