Intermittent oxygen therapy

Evidence for the benefit of intermittent oxygen therapy is equivocal.

Intermittent oxygen therapy may be used in patients:

• starting long-term continuous oxygen therapy who wish to supplement stationary concentrator use with portable oxygen for physical activities outside the home
• during air travel if they have known lung disease and fulfil certain criteria; see Fitness to fly for patients with respiratory disease for more information on assessment for in-flight oxygen therapy
• with obstructive or fibrotic lung diseases who do not meet the criteria for long-term continuous oxygen therapy and whose ability to exercise is limited by hypoxaemia
• with severe asthma or COPD who live in isolated areas for use during acute exacerbations while awaiting medical attention
• with acute cluster headache; see Acute treatment for cluster headache for dosing information.

Intermittent oxygen therapy may be used in patients with dyspnoea due to hypoxaemia in terminal illness (including pulmonary vascular, interstitial or neoplastic lung disease); however, treatment of hypoxaemia with intermittent oxygen therapy may not relieve dyspnoea.

Although domiciliary oxygen therapy is often prescribed for patients with chronic heart failure with intractable breathlessness, there is no supporting evidence that it reduces breathlessness or hospitalisation, or improves survival.