What is one of the risks associated with prolonged oxygen therapy?

Prolonged oxygen therapy can lead to oxygen toxicity because of the body's exposure to high concentrations of oxygen over extended periods. Oxygen is essential for cellular metabolism, but when it’s administered at high levels, especially over long durations, it can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage lung tissue and lead to conditions like pulmonary edema, decreased lung compliance, and in severe cases, central nervous system effects, including seizures. This risk underscores the importance of closely monitoring oxygen therapy to ensure that the delivery of oxygen is both effective for the treatment of hypoxia and safe for the patient's overall health.

Hypoxia, on the other hand, is a condition that oxygen therapy aims to prevent, while increased carbon dioxide levels are typically associated with inadequate ventilation rather than high oxygen levels. Reduced blood pressure is not a common consequence of oxygen therapy itself. Hence, the primary concern with long-term oxygen therapy is indeed related to oxygen toxicity.