heliox

hey, just wonderin what exactly and when heliox is used??

i had it in itu and it really helped .. but after mysplatt last nite i wasnt sure wether to ask for (not that i could speak ...but!!!) it or is it only used in itu/hdu??

also what others have thought of it etc !!

thanks

katie

xxxxx

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Hi Katielou,

Sorry to hear that you've had a recent attack - I hope you're improving now.

Heliox is a mixture of oxygen and helium - because helium is a very light gas, breathing heliox is less work than breathing an air-oxygen mixture or pure oxygen, so if you are getting tired, heliox may put less strain on your respiratory muscles. It may also have some bronchodilator properties, although this is hotly debated.

It has been used in some centres for many years in acute severe asthma, but studies have always been contradictory and equivocal, with only a few small studies showing any benefit. A recent Cochrane review (a review of all the evidence on the subject) suggested that there is no place for its use in most patients - you can see the review here: cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab0...

If you've found it useful in the past, I'm sure there's no harm in asking for it in the future - it would usually only be used in ICU, though, and some centres don't use it at all.

Hope this helps

Em H

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hi katielou.

i use heliox when in costa when i am doing my physio if i am on oxygen i switxh to heliox because as emh has explin it is lighter and therefore easoier to breathe. my main consultant is keen on it and gets the cons at my local to give me a cylinder next to bed to use when having physio which when well enough have everyday in costa.i dont feel it is much difference but con seems to think it makes a diff as sats are normally up a bit after doign physio using it so i just do as i am told.

olive

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thanks for that guys ... i am not entirley sure if it was th heliox or all the meds that worked but my sats improved and made them stable ...

olive i am glad it seems to works even though u may not feel it !1