Oxygen Concentrator | Astramed

What is an Oxygen Concentrator?

Oxygen concentrator definition: An oxygen concentrator is a type of medical device used for delivering oxygen to individuals with breathing-related disorders. Individuals whose oxygen concentration in their blood is lower than normal often require an oxygen concentrator to replace that oxygen.

Generally, you can’t buy an oxygen concentrator over the counter. A doctor must prescribe it after they’ve completed a thorough medical evaluation. The doctors will also typically show the patients how to effectively use these concentrators while traveling and in their home.

Oxygen concentrators filter surrounding air, compressing it to the required density and then delivering purified medical grade oxygen into a pulse-dose delivery system or continuous stream system to the patient.

It’s also equipped with special filters and sieve beds which help remove Nitrogen from the air to ensure delivery of completely purified oxygen to the patient. These devices also come with an electronic user interface so you can adjust the levels of oxygen concentration and delivery settings. You then inhale the oxygen through the nasal cannula or special mask.

You generally measure the oxygen concentrator output in LPM (liters per minute). Your doctor will determine what level of oxygen you need, which may vary at rest, during sleep, and when you exercise.

What are the Uses and Reasons for an Oxygen Concentrator?

There are many reasons for an oxygen concentrator and doctors can recommend oxygen therapy to their patients for various medical conditions. Typically, your lungs absorb the air’s oxygen, transferring it into your bloodstream.

If you’ve had bloodwork or pulse oximetry recently performed to assess your oxygen saturation levels, and you were found to have low levels of blood oxygen, your doctor may recommend short-term or long-term oxygen therapy.

You’re probably wondering what is an oxygen concentrator used for? Acute conditions usually require short-term oxygen therapy. These conditions normally run for a short period of time. They may have a sudden onset of symptoms versus chronic conditions where things occur gradually. However, some respiratory or chronic conditions require long-term oxygen supplementation.