British Thoracic Society Oxygen Guidelines: another clinical brick in the wall

The world's first evidence-based guideline for emergency oxygen therapy was published by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) in 2008 and endorsed by 21 other societies and colleges.1 The key message in the guideline was very simple: clinicians were advised to avoid hypoxaemia and hyperoxaemia by prescribing a normal or near-normal target oxygen saturation of 94%–98% for most acutely unwell patients and to prescribe a lower range (usually 88%–92%) for patients at risk of hypercapnia, and to use high-concentration oxygen for some conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning or the immediate management of critical illness. This guidance has informed worldwide clinical practice and research since 2008 and is cited by more than 500 publications. The guideline is now updated and extended with the support of 22 colleges and societies.2 Readers will want to know what is new in the 2016 update of the BTS emergency oxygen...
Source: Thorax - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research