title: British Thoracic Society guidelines for home oxygen use in adults.
abstract: The British Thoracic Society (BTS) Home Oxygen Guideline provides detailed evidence-based guidance for the use of home oxygen for patients out of hospital. Although the majority of evidence comes from the use of oxygen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the scope of the guidance includes patients with a variety of long-term respiratory illnesses and other groups in whom oxygen is currently ordered, such as those with cardiac failure, cancer and end-stage cardiorespiratory disease, terminal illness or cluster headache. It explores the evidence base for the use of different modalities of oxygen therapy and patient-related outcomes such as mortality, symptoms and quality of life. The guideline also makes recommendations for assessment and follow-up protocols, and risk assessments, particularly in the clinically challenging area of home oxygen users who smoke. The guideline development group is aware of the potential for confusion sometimes caused by the current nomenclature for different types of home oxygen, and rather than renaming them, has adopted the approach of clarifying those definitions, and in particular emphasising what is meant by long-term oxygen therapy and palliative oxygen therapy. The home oxygen guideline provides expert consensus opinion in areas where clinical evidence is lacking, and seeks to deliver improved prescribing practice, leading to improved compliance and improved patient outcomes, with consequent increased value to the health service.
authors: Oxford Centre of Respiratory Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK.
authors: Maxine
authors: M
authors: Hardinge
authors: Hywel Dda University Health Board, Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, UK.
authors: Joe
authors: J
authors: Annandale
authors: Portsmouth NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Bourne
authors: Lung Function and Sleep, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors: Brendan
authors: B
authors: Cooper
authors: Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership Trust, Staffordshire, UK.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Evans
authors: Mundesley Medical Centre, Mundesley, UK.
authors: Daryl
authors: D
authors: Freeman
authors: Improvement Academy (Y&H AHSN) Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, Wakefield, UK.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Green
authors: Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Sabrine
authors: S
authors: Hippolyte
authors: Respiratory Care Team, Virgin Care, Surrey, UK.
authors: Vikki
authors: V
authors: Knowles
authors: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors: William
authors: W
authors: MacNee
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Lynn
authors: L
authors: McDonnell
authors: Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
authors: Kathy
authors: K
authors: Pye
authors: Respiratory Department, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK.
authors: Jay
authors: J
authors: Suntharalingam
authors: Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors: Vandana
authors: V
authors: Vora
authors: Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Long Term Oxygen Therapy (LTOT)