Anybody try it? Thoughts?
I confess to being tempted, but the science is weak supporting it, and both my personal and professional experience tend to agree.
1) If you're hypoxemic at baseline it will help. The standard for applying O2 to non hypoxemic cardiac patients has been debunked.
2) If you don't have enough hemoglobin you can't improve oxygenation with supplemental O2. Its why blood doping works if your heart is capable of it. Unless you're choosing to cheat at Tour De France bad idea. Even marginal hemoglobin will reduce exercise capacity. What was your last hemoglobin? Mine was pretty low, a couple of times, and couldn't do much without shortness of breath.
3) If work of breathing is high O2 consumption is up.
4) Certain disease states may benefit from supplemental O2, but last I checked COPD was the only group with "verified"
5) Improved muscle utilization from heart to tissue is where the most benefit will be seen.
6) If you're anything like me just muscle splinting (pain, anxiety,) made breathing a bit difficult at times. Supplying O2 to your legs when the rest of your body is demanding more will reduce exercise capacity.
Its an increased expense. Common use in the hospital was a lot to do with being well reimbursed.
I'll try to call, I've been thinking I need to, but it gets away from me. Sorry