QAS Oxygen DTP

What is the drug class of oxygen?

Gas

What is a key property of oxygen?

Essential for cellular energy; colourless, odourless.

What are the indications for oxygen?

Any condition causing or risking systemic or localised hypoxia, e.g., intra-arrest, CO poisoning, cyanide poisoning, preoxygenation for RSI, respiratory distress/hypoxia.

What are the contraindications for oxygen?

Paraquat poisoning with SpO₂ ≥ 88%, Bleomycin therapy with SpO₂ ≥ 88%.

What precautions should be taken with oxygen?

harm to paraquat/bleomycin pt, high-flow O₂ can delay recognition of deterioration, COPD/neuromuscular disease patients — titrate carefully, cyanotic heart disease may have lower target sats.

What are the side effects of oxygen?

Drying of airway mucosa.

What is the onset and duration of oxygen?

Onset: Immediate, Duration: N/A, Half-life: N/A.

What are the routes of administration for oxygen?

NC, Simple face mask, Nebuliser mask, NRB mask, BVM, SAD, ETT, CPAP.

What is the oxygen dosage for intra-arrest, CO poisoning, cyanide poisoning, and RSI preoxygenation?

Administer 100% O₂ (High-flow — saturations irrelevant).

What is the oxygen dosage for COPD, paraquat, bleomycin, obesity, neuromuscular disease, cystic fibrosis?

Titrate O₂ to SpO₂ 88-92%.

What is the oxygen dosage for all other presentations?

Titrate O₂ to SpO₂ 92-96%.

Why must CO poisoning get maximum O₂ even if SpO₂ is normal?

Because pulse oximetry cannot distinguish oxyhaemoglobin from carboxyhaemoglobin.

What is the nebuliser flow rate for COPD vs non-COPD?

COPD: 6 L/min, Non-COPD: 8 L/min.

When is high-flow O₂ not appropriate?

When patient is NOT hypoxic — excess oxygen can worsen outcomes, including myocardial ischaemia.