Why covid patients need oxygen?
Why covid patients need oxygen?
@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan | Health blog |
Covid-19 patients, especially those with moderate to severe cases often have difficulty breathing as the the SARS-CoV-2 virus invades and destroys their lungs. Hence, supplemental oxygen is crucial to help them breath air.
Signs of shortness of breath includes high respiratory rate or rapid breathing (more than 20 breaths per minute), low oxygen saturation (below 95% as measured by a pulse oximeter), gasping, nasal flaring, and chest retractions. These are telltale signs that a patient may be unable to get enough oxygen through normal breathing, and needs to be hooked to an oxygen support.
Supplemental oxygen is life saving as it helps deliver vital oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body and decrease the burden of gasping for air.
In severe cases, when oxygen support is not instituted timely, the patient's condition can deteriorate and may lead to hypoxia or low blood oxygen level which can ultimately lead to demise.
In the hospital setting, oxygen is available through either a wall-mount system or through portable oxygen cylinders. While it is advisable that those suffering from moderate to severe form of covid be admitted to hospital, current covid statistics on certain countries such as the Philippines and India overwhelmed the health care system to the point of collapse. Hence, there are people who opted to buy or source out their own oxygen tank to ease the breathing difficulty.
