Home oxygen in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Numerous studies have indicated that home oxygen is safe and practical. Continuous oxygen improves survival compared to 12 hour oxygen in advanced COPD. Neuropsychiatric benefit by oxygen has been documented in several studies. Thus, oxygen should be considered palliative in advanced forms of COPD. Practical oxygen systems are available which include compressed, liquid and concentrator systems. Thus, oxygen is now established in the care of selected patients with advanced COPD. Future studies wil be needed to evaluate the effectiveness of oxygen to combat the possible effects of transient hypoxemia in patients with COPD during sleep or exercise.