While portable oxygen concentrators can be more desirable than a compressed gas tank, it is important to look at all factors to ensure you make the best choice for you.
There is no single POC that is best for everyone. There are quite a few things to consider. These various considerations can be overwhelming at first.
We have simplified this blog to share a few factors that are important to most people looking at POCs.
POCs Require a Prescription
There are both medical grade and non-medical grade POCs. A medical grade POC requires a prescription. Medical grade POCs supply high concentrations of oxygen, typically 85% and higher on all settings. In non-medical grade machines, the concentration of the oxygen they produce may not be much more than the air we breathe normally (21%). Since these oxygen machines are not regulated, there is no assurance of the percentage of oxygen you are receiving.
Liters versus Milliliters
Doctor’s typically write oxygen prescriptions in liters per minute (lpm). POCs typically display oxygen output in milliliters per minute. This can be confusing. There are 1000 milliliters in a liter. If your prescription is 2 lpm then the milliliter equivalent is 2000.
Settings Are NOT Liters per Minute
The most important thing to know is that the settings, or levels, on POCs are not the same as liters per minute. The more settings a POC has does not necessarily mean it gives you more oxygen. It is also important to note that the settings are not the same between POCs. Setting 4on one POC might deliver the same amount of oxygen as another POC on setting 3.
Intermittent versus Continuous Flow
Oxygen is delivered by two methods: intermittent and continuous.
Intermittent (or pulse) flow means oxygen is only delivered when it detects you are taking in a breath. Continuous flow means the oxygen is flowing all the time, whether you are breathing in or out.
Weight
Most people want the lightest weight POC, however, the lighter the POC, the less oxygen it typically is able to deliver. To keep the weight under 10 pounds, these POCs are mostly pulse/intermittent delivery only, and deliver 2 lpm or less. POCs that provide 3 lpm are over 15 pounds.
"Non-Medical Grade" POCs
Be aware that if a POC looks too good to be true, then it probably is. They claim to give up to 4 or 5 liters of oxygen and cost thousands less than the medical grade concentrators. There are several problems with using these machines though if you need medical supplemental oxygen. The first is these machines are not FDA approved, so there is no assurance that what you are receiving through the cannula doesn't contain anything harmful. The second problem is that as you raise the liter flow you are actually getting less and less oxygen. This means at 5 liters per minute you are barely getting more oxygen than you get in the surrounding air.
Flying With Oxygen
You can not bring a tank on a plane. While many POCs are FAA approved, you should contact the airline ahead of time to ensure there are no issues with your POC, and to see if they require any additional documentation before you fly.
Other Considerations
• Battery Type
• Battery Life
• Battery Recharge Time
• Noise (Decibel) Levels
• Changing Sieves
Credit for blog www.runningonair.org
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