oxygen therapy

• use oxygen when your patient's PO is 90% or less or SaO2 is 60 mmhg or less
• when you are exerting more energy, you need more oxygen, which increases oxygen demand
• hypoxia is when oxygen in the blood can not meet the demands
• hypoxia can lead to changes in mental status, anxiety, restlessness, confusion, shortness of breath, increased respiration rate, increased heart rate, and dyspnea
• hypoxemia: low oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO2 is less than 60 or oxygen is less then 90% on room air)
• hypercapnia / hypercarbia: excessive oxygen in blood
• ph: the amount of free hydrogen ions in the arterial blood
• PaO2: partial pressure of oxygen
• PaCO2: partial pressure of carbon dioxide
• HCO3: concentration of bicarbonate in arterial blood
• ABG: reflects the amount of oxygen going into the body and the amount of carbon dioxide still in the blood after leaving the lungs
• normal Ph: 7.35-7.45
• normal PaO2: 80-95 mmHg
• normal PaCO2: 35-45 mmHg
• normal HCO3: 22-26 meQ/L
• normal SaO2: 95-100%
• respiratory alkalosis: blowing off CO2 due to hyperventilation
• respiratory acidosis: retaining CO2 due to not breathing appropriately (hypoventilation)
• high pH: alkalosis
• low pH: acidosis
• respiratory acidosis results from: respiratory depression, inadequate chest expansion, and airway obstruction
• respiratory acidosis results in: increased CO2 and increased or normal H concentration
• respiratory acidosis manifestations: tachycardia and hypertension (initially), anxiety, irritability, confusion, shallow and rapid breathing
• respiratory alkalosis results in: decreased CO2 and decreased or normal H concentration
• respiratory alkalosis manifestations: tachypnea, inability to concentrate, numbness, tingling, tachycardia, rapid and deep respirations
• metabolic acidosis results in decreased HCO3 and increased H concentration
• metabolic alkalosis results in increased HCO3 and decreased H concentration
• nasal cannula: 1-6 L/min (24-44% FiO2)
• simple face mask: 5-10 L/min (40-60% FiO2)
• Partial rebreather mask: 8-10 L/min (50-75% FiO2)
• nonrebreather mask: minimum 10 L/min (90% FiO2)
• venturi mask: most accurate; 2-15 L/min (24%-60% FiO2)
• aerosol mask: high humidity oxygen