How to choose an oxygen concentrator

Oxygen concentration of oxygen concentrator

Many people mistakenly confuse the oxygen concentration of an oxygen concentrator with the oxygen concentration of inhaled oxygen, thinking that they are the same concept. In fact, they are completely different. The oxygen concentration of an oxygen concentrator refers to the amount of oxygen contained, or in layman’s terms, the purity od the oxygenn output by the oxygen concentrator. Different oxygen concentrators have different oxygen concentrations. In order to ensure long-term use and therapeutic effects, it is recommended to choose and oxygen concentrator that meets the oxygen output concentration standard of 93±3%.

Maximum oxygen output of oxygen concentrator

Many people are not clear about what 1L oxygen concentrator, 3L oxygen concentrator, and 5L oxygen concentrator mean. In fact, they are the maximum oxygen flow rate per minute that the oxygen concentrator can provide under the premise of guaranteed oxygen concentration. When the adjusted flow rate exceeds the maximum oxygen output flow rate, the oxygen concentration will decrease, and the effect of oxygen inhalation will also decrease, or even have no effect.

Under the premise of meeting the national standard of 93±3% oxygen concentration, the oxygen concentrator can be divided into 1L, 3L, 5L, etc. As reference standards to define the applicable population and performance of the oxygen concentrator:

1L oxygen concentrator

A 1L oxygen concentrator is an oxygen concentrator with a maximum oxygen output of 1L/min, provided that the oxygen concentration meets the standard. This type of oxygen concentrator is relatively inexpensive and is suitable for pregnant women who need general oxygen inhalation and mental workers who work and study for long periods of time(such as students, corporate white-collar workers). It is mainly used for health care and can generally provide oxygen therapy for about 30 minutes to relieve temporary fatigue and make people more energetic.

3L oxygen concentrator

The 3L oxygen concentrator can meet the standards of medical oxygen, with a maximum oxygen output of 3L/min. That is to say, the oxygen flow rate can be adjusted in the range of 0-3L/min, and can only be less but not more. The flow rate cannot be increased above 3L/min, otherwise the output oxygen will be unstable.

This type of oxygen concentrator has different prices due to different brands. It is suitable for home health care oxygen inhalation for the elderly or oxygen therapy for patients with chronic diseases(such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular hypoxia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, obesity, etc.) The main purpose is to increase blood oxygen saturation and prevent the occurrence of some other diseases.

5L oxygen concentrator

When the oxygen concentrator of the 5L oxygen concentrator reaches the standard, the maximum oxygen output can reach 5L/min. It is suitable for patients with cardiopulmonary functional diseases(such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cor pulmonale). When the oxygen concentration of the 5L oxygen concentrator reaches the standard, the maximum oxygen output can reach 5L/min. It is suitable for patients with cardiopulmonary functional diseases(such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cor pulmonale).

For example, excluding the influence of patient factors such as respiratory rate and tidal volume, when oxygen is inhaled through a nasal cannula, the effective oxygen concentration(%) reaching the patient’s lungs=21+4* the oxygen flow rate of the oxygen concentrator*the oxygen concentration of the oxygen concentrator.

If used for therapeutic purposes, it is recommended to purchase an oxygen concentrator with an oxygen output of no less than 3L. For patients who require long-term oxygen therapy, it is recommended to use an oxygen concentrator of no less than 5L. Not only does it have a large adjustable range and can supply and the oxygen output concentration can be stabilized at more than 90%, thereby achieving a good therapeutic purpose.

Continuous oxygen supply time

If it is an oxygen concentrator used only for health care, it is often small in size, has relatively poor heat dissipation function, and cannot work for a long time. Most medical oxygen concentrators used for treatment can work 24 hours a day without interruption.

Patients with COPD and chronic respiratory failure need at lease 15 hours of oxygen inhalation every day, so they need to buy an oxygen concentrator that can supply oxygen for a long time to avoid failing to meet their treatment needs.

Noise level of oxygen concentrator

It is recommended to choose an oxygen concentrator with low noise. The noise level should be less than 45-48 decibels. Otherwise, it may affect the rest of yourself and others, especially at noght. The level of noise control is related to the level of the oxygen concentrator manufacturer and the volume and structure of the oxygen concentrator. Generally, large oxygen concentrators have lower noise because they have enough space to house sound insulation components and internal structures to reduce noise.

When the oxygen concentrator is working, try not to place it in a small space or on a wooden floor, as this will increase echoes or other extra noise. For people who are very sensitive to noise, the oxygen concentrator can be relatively far away from the oxygen inhaler and connected through a longer oxygen inhalation tube.

How to choose an oxygen concentrator

Before purchasing an oxygen concentrator, in addition to understanding the important parameters of the oxygen concentrator, it must have a stable and efficient oxygen supply system, and also pay attention to the following points:

Be clear about why you need oxygen

Whether it is for health care or treatment, choose an oxygen concentrator according to your needs that can meet your maximum oxygen flow rate, daily oxygen inhalation time and other parameters. For example, patients with chronic respiratory or heart failure, hypoxemia, COPD and other diseases should choose a medical-grade oxygen concentrator that can work 24 hours a day and maintain the oxygen concentration up to standard. If you are a pregnant woman or a student who frequently overuses his brain, you can generally choose a relatively low-priced, quality-assured 1-2L oxygen concentrator.

Emphasis on the “value” of oxygen concentrators

We should choose oxygen concentrators of different grades according to the needs of the disease and economic ability, that is, we should consider”price” and “value” together, and avoid blindly pursuing low “price” while ignoring the “value” of important technical content, which will lead to adverse consequences. Similarly, there is no need to waste resources just to buy the most expensive one instead of the most suitable one.

Practicality comes first, not beauty

Home oxygen concentrators are medical and health-preserving devices, not items for aesthetic display. Don’t be brainwashed and fall into the trap of some businesses that choose fancy appearance as a selling point due to lack of technology, but which is actually not practical.

Especially for those who need to breathe oxygen for a long time, the machine must be able to work continuously. It is best to choose a machine with moderate size, excellent performance, optimized internal structure and ideal heat dissipation space.

Atomization function

Especially for patients with respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma, it can not only meet the needs of oxygen supplementation, but also easily and conveniently perform nebulizer inhalation treatment at home, saving the time of repeated visits to the hospital and queuing, and also reducing the cost of medical treatment.

Choose a brand manufacturer with strength and reputation

When choosing an oxygen concentrator, it is recommended to choose an oxygen concentrator manufacturer or brand with strong strength, good reputation, quality assurance, and long-term sustainable development. It is best to choose and organization with perfect after-sales service in the local area. Whether it is a domestic or foreign brand, after-sales maintenance and parts replacement are particularly important. Only a guaranteed brand manufacturer can guarantee sustainable development and after-sales maintenance services. At the same time, it must be purchased through formal channels and with complete procedures to ensure better protection.

Precautions for using oxygen concentrator

Oxygen concentrators have “four fears”

Therefore, when using an oxygen concentrator, be sure to stay away from fire, direct strong light(sunlight), and high temperature environments; Pay attention to the replacement, cleaning and disinfection of nasal cannula, oxygen cannula, humidification and heating device to prevent cross infection and cannula blockage; When the oxygen concentrator is not used for a long time, the power supply should be turned off, the water in the humidification bottle should be poured out, the surface of the oxygen concentrator should be wiped clean, covered with a plastic cover, and stored in a dry place without sunlight; Before transporting the machine, pour out the water in the humidification cup. Water or moisture in the oxygen concentrator will damage important parts(such as molecular sieves, compressors, gas control valves, etc.)

When breathing oxygen, pay attention to providing appropriate warming and humidification

Maintaining a temperature of 37°C and humidity of 95-100% in the respiratory tract is necessary for the normal clearance function of the mucociliary system. Therefore, inhaled oxygen should pass through a humidifier bottle and necessary heating devices to avoid inhaling dry and cold oxygen that may stimulate and damage the airway mucosa, cause sputum to dry up, and affect the “scavenger” function of the cilia.

When the oxygen concentrator is turned on, do not place the flow meter float at zero; during oxygen inhalation, pay attention to check whether the flow meter float is at correct scale position

If the molecular sieve oxygen generator is not used for a long time, the activity of the molecular sieve will decrease, so attention should be paid to the startup and operation maintenance.

The power supply of the oxygen concentrator shuld be cut off when it is not used or not in use. This not only reduces the consumption of the machine and energy, but also is for fire safety.

When the oxygen concentrator is working, it needs to be placed stably with a space of no less than 20cm in radius on all sides, and the environment should pay attention to proper ventilation and air quality.

Different people, different conditions, need different oxygen requirements.

For example, patients with carbon dioxide retention(such as COPD combined with chronic respiratory failure) should be gived controlled oxygen inhalation. In general, the oxygen flow rate should not exceed 3L/min, and 1-2L/min is appropriate, because high-concentration oxygen inhalation can cause respiratory depression in such patients and worsen their condition. Although oxygen inhalation is good for pregnant women, you should also pay attention to the doctor’s advice and avoid blindly inhaling high-concentration oxygen for a long time.

Oxygen concentrators can be used for health care and general oxygen therapy(including plateau hypoxia, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc.), but they cannot be used for advanced life support during rescue.