title: Pre-hospital oxygen therapy.
abstract: Oxygen use in prehospital care is aimed at treating or preventing hypoxemia. However, excess oxygen delivery has important consequences in select patients, and hyperoxia can adversely impact outcome. The unique environment of prehospital care poses logistical and educational challenges. Oxygen therapy in prehospital care should be provided to patients with hypoxemia and titrated to achieve normoxemia. Changes to the current practice of oxygen delivery in prehospital care are needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0558, USA. richard.branson@uc.edu
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Branson
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johannigman
mesh_terms: D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy