Why should oxygen therapy be titrated?

Titrating oxygen therapy is primarily about administering the minimum effective dose to meet a patient's needs while avoiding the potential for oxygen toxicity. Oxygen toxicity can occur when a patient receives excessive concentrations of oxygen over a prolonged period, leading to harmful effects on the lungs and other organs. By carefully adjusting the flow rate and concentration of oxygen based on the patient’s condition, healthcare providers can achieve the desired therapeutic effect without causing harm. This careful calibration helps ensure that the oxygen level in the patient’s blood is optimized, thus maximizing benefits while minimizing risks.

While patient comfort is important and should not be overlooked, it is secondary to the principles of safety and efficacy that titration aims to uphold. Additionally, while environmental conditions can affect oxygen delivery and use, titration focuses primarily on the individual patient’s physiological needs. Speeding up the recovery process is a goal of treatment but is contingent on providing the correct amount of oxygen to support the patient's health without excessive dosages.