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Review
. 2022 Oct;38(4):795-808.
doi: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.010. Epub 2022 Jun 30.

Oxygen as an Essential Medicine

Matthew F Mart  1 , Cornelius Sendagire  2 , Eugene Wesley Ely  1 , Elisabeth D Riviello  3 , Theogene Twagirumugabe  4
Affiliations
Review

Oxygen as an Essential Medicine

Matthew F Mart et al. Crit Care Clin. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Supplemental oxygen is an essential medication in critical care. The optimal oxygen dose delivery system remains unclear, however. The "dose" and "delivery" of oxygen carry significant importance for resource-limited settings, such as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Regrettably, LMICS often experience significant inequities in oxygen supply and demand, with major impacts on preventable mortality. These inequities have become particularly prominent during the global COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for additional investment and research into the best methods to utilize supplemental oxygen and ensure stable access to medical oxygen.

Keywords: COVID-19; Critical illness; Global health; Oxygen.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Department of Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health Care System Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) and VA-MERIT, the National Institutes of Health under awards (R01AG027472, R01AG035117, R01HL111111, R01GM120484, and R01AG058639).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Major oxygen delivery systems. FiO2, fraction of inspired oxygen (percentage); PEEP, positive end-expiratory pressure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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