OXYGEN MEDICINAL GASEOUS

Composition:

active ingredient: oxygen;

volumetric fraction of oxygen not less than 99.5 %.

Pharmaceutical form. Gas.

Main physico-chemical properties: non-toxic, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas; slightly soluble in water (approximately 1:43). Density of medicinal oxygen gas at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature of 20 °C is 1.33 kg/m³; non-flammable, non-explosive gas, but is a strong oxidizer, thus significantly increasing the flammability of other materials.

Pharmacotherapeutic group.

Medical gases.

ATC code V03A N01.

Pharmacological properties.

Pharmacodynamics.

Oxygen belongs to the group of anti-hypoxants and antioxidants. It has the ability to bind with blood hemoglobin in the lungs and be transported as a complex compound with heme to the body's cells. Oxygen is a strong oxidizer and an essential element in metabolic transformations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy to sustain vital functions of the organism.

Pharmacokinetics.

In the human body, oxygen diffuses through lung tissue into the blood, binding to hemoglobin in erythrocytes and partially dissolving in plasma. Then, oxygen is transported to body tissues, where it diffuses into the interstitial fluid. The final stage of respiration is the utilization of oxygen in biological oxidation and the production of energy within cells, followed by its elimination via the lungs in combined form as carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Clinical characteristics.

Indications.

Conditions associated with hypoxia:

respiratory organs:

• pneumonia;
• pulmonary edema;
• bronchial asthma;
• pneumosclerosis;

cardiovascular system:

• heart failure;
• coronary insufficiency.

Poisoning:

• carbon monoxide;
• hydrogen cyanide;
• asphyxiating gases.

Used during general anesthesia in combination with inhalational anesthetics; in the postoperative period.

Used for preparation of oxygen cocktails and foams.

Contraindications.

For hyperbaric oxygenation, contraindications include acute respiratory diseases, history of epileptiform seizures, impaired patency of auditory tubes and canals connecting paranasal sinuses, presence of lung cavities or bronchopulmonary fistulas, severe forms of arterial hypertension, neoplasms, and increased individual sensitivity to oxygen.

Interaction with other medicinal products and other types of interactions.

Nitrates, beta-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, and nootropic agents promote more economical tissue utilization of oxygen, improve its utilization, and thereby reduce hypoxia and increase the body's resistance to oxygen deficiency.

Special precautions.

Do not use in women during menstruation.

Use with humidifiers is recommended.

Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Do not use during pregnancy beyond 5 months.

Breastfeeding should be discontinued during the use of this medicinal product.

Ability to influence reaction rate when driving or operating machinery.

Due to possible dizziness, patients should refrain from driving a car or performing work requiring increased attention and quick reaction.

Method of administration and dosage.

In hospital settings, oxygen is most commonly administered via inhalation through special rubber or plastic masks connected directly to steel cylinders containing oxygen.

In outpatient practice and at home, special rubber or plastic containers (bags) filled with oxygen or its mixture are more commonly used.

For hyperbaric oxygenation, i.e., oxygen delivery under increased pressure, special ventilated chambers, so-called hyperbaric chambers (barochambers), are used, where oxygen is delivered via inhalation as well as through mucous membranes and skin.

Most commonly, oxygen is administered by inhalation as a mixture with air at a concentration of 40–60 % at a flow rate of 4–5 liters per minute. A mixture called "carbogen," consisting of 95 % oxygen and 5 % carbon dioxide, is also used. The mixture is usually administered humidified.

In hyperbaric oxygenation, oxygen is delivered under a pressure of 1.2–2 atm. Therapeutically, 8–10 sessions are typically conducted.

Preparation of oxygen cocktails and foams – mixtures of oxygen with food products, juices, and herbal infusions.

Children.

The product is used in pediatric practice.

Overdose.

Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and convulsions may occur in case of overdose.

Treatment: symptomatic therapy.

Adverse reactions.

In individual patients, individual hypersensitivity to oxygen and its mixtures, dizziness, nausea, increased dryness of mucous membranes, their irritation, cough may occur.

If any adverse events occur, consult a physician.

Shelf life.

18 months.

Do not use the medicinal product after the expiry date stated on the packaging.

Storage conditions.

Store cylinders with medicinal gaseous oxygen in a place inaccessible to unauthorized persons, protected from direct sunlight, at a temperature not exceeding +50 °C. Avoid contact with open flame and heat sources. Storage must ensure absence of contamination with oils and greases. Avoid dropping or impact to cylinders, and do not place them in the same room with flammable gases or closer than 5 m from sources with open flame.

Medicinal gaseous oxygen from cryogenic vaporizers should be stored in oxygen pipelines; contact with oils, open flame, and heat sources must be avoided.