What you need to know
- It is a longstanding cultural norm to provide supplemental oxygen to sick patients regardless of their blood oxygen saturation
- A recent systematic review and meta-analysis has shown that too much supplemental oxygen increases mortality for medical patients in the hospital
- For patients receiving oxygen therapy, aim for peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) of ≤ 96% (strong recommendation)
- For patients with acute myocardial infarction or stroke, do not initiate oxygen therapy in patients with SpO2 ≥ 90% (for ≥ 93% strong recommendation, for 90-92% weak recommendation)
- A target SpO2 range of 90-94% seems reasonable for most patients and 88-92% for patients at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure; use the minimum amount of oxygen necessary
