Abstract
Background: Long term oxygen therapy provides survival benefit for hypoxic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.
However concurrent smoking and home oxygen presents significant risk to patients, household and neighbours.
NICE COPD guidelines 2018 state ‘Do not offer long-term oxygen therapy to people who continue to smoke despite being offered smoking cessation advice and treatment and referral to specialist stop smoking services’
Aim: Evaluate Respiratory professionals’ opinions on provision of home oxygen in current smokers following NICE guidelines
Method: Survey monkey questionnaire was composed and sent via professional networks on email and Twitter
Results: 358 individual responses,22% Consultants and 88% worked in respiratory care daily(Fig 1).
75% did at least 1 home oxygen order in last 12 months,41% doing more than 10.
27% would consider prescribing home oxygen to current smokers,46% prescribed home oxygen to current smokers in the past.
After NICE guideline,35% reported change to their practice.
45% considered a patient an ex-smoker at 3 months,57% recommending CO monitoring to confirm.
Conclusion: Despite NICE guidelines,1 in 4 respiratory professionals would prescribe home oxygen to current smokers, although 1 in 3 report change in their practice.
Most consider patients to be ex-smokers after 3 months.
Home oxygen provision in current smokers remains highly debated with different opinions in Respiratory community despite current guidelines
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA3988.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2019