Emergency oxygen therapy for the COPD patient

Confusion and controversy continues over how much oxygen to give patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting with breathlessness.This article reviews the published literature dealing with this topic, identifies gaps in the debate that have not been addressed and makes recommendations for future research needed to resolve this issue.Based on this review guidelines for oxygen therapy, based on the best evidence currently available, are then constructed and presented in a subsequent issue. Literature review METHODSMedline from 1966 to 2000 was searched for articles on oxygen therapy and carbon dioxide retention.In addition, colleagues in chest medicine, emergency medicine and intensive care medicine identified reports presented at recent scientific research meetings.As much of the literature on oxygen therapy in COPD was published before 1966, all references made in the literature obtained were examined.Any reports subsequently felt to be relevant, were then also obtained and analysed until it was felt that a complete search had been made.