The Ultimate Buyers Guide about oxygen concentrator- How do choose The Best Oxygen Concentrator in Covid-19 pandemic in 2021?

07/06/2021
buyers guide- choose best oxygen concentrator

Overview

The demand for oxygen concentrators has increased due to Covid-19. Due to high demand, some Oxygen machine sellers demand the price of their choice, as well as poor quality oxygen concentrators have also come in the market then the first important question in your mind will be that how do I choose an oxygen concentrator? So there is nothing to worry, let us tell you in this blog about "How do you choose the best oxygen concentrator."

Covid-19 patients who are undergoing treatment at home or if they are lacking oxygen, doctors are advising to use oxygen concentrators. But some patients are facing problem to get sufficient amount of oxygen due to poor quality oxygen concentrator or not choosing oxygen machine of right specifications. It may also be that the oxygen concentrator is not right equipment for them according to their high oxygen requirement, so later they are taking the help of oxygen cylinder for the treatment of Covid-19.

Actually, the oxygen concentrator cannot be used for all COVID-19 patients as well as it is also necessary that you have an oxygen machine with right specification. Just as smartphones come with different specifications at different prices, similar is the case with oxygen concentrators. Before buying an oxygen machine, you have to first see how much oxygen concentration you are taking will fulfill your requirement. And Different oxygen concentrators have a variety of features and perks that can make them more or less suitable for each individual patient. As a result, we've detailed some of the most crucial factors to consider, guiding you through the process, so you can simply select the ideal concentrator for your needs.

Buyers Guide - How do Choose Best Oxygen Concentrator for Covid-19 and other Patients?

1) How to know how much oxygen a patient needs?

The amount of oxygen in blood of a normal person ranges from 95% to 100%, and you can measure it with a pulse oximeter. This oxygen level in the Covid-19 patient’s is reduced to less than 95%, so a patient with an oxygen level of 94% or less than 94% may need oxygen.

The lower the blood oxygen level, the more oxygen is needed, this need is measured in LPM (liter per minute). Along with this, if the patient has some other disease, then the effect of Covid-19 will be more, so he may need more oxygen. If the disease is associated with the lungs, the need for oxygen may be even higher; therefore, it can be said that doctors decide the amount of oxygen according to the condition of the patient.

2) Who need an oxygen concentrator?

The oxygen concentrator requires electricity not oxygen supply to work because the oxygen concentrator filters the oxygen present in air and delivers it to the patient. Since the oxygen concentrator itself makes oxygen and delivers it to the patient, so its capacity is not high. Generally, oxygen concentrator supply 5 to 10 LPM of oxygen.

“Oxygen concentrator is recommended only for those Covid-19 patients whose condition is stable. Most of these patients are getting treatment at home. Oxygen concentrator can be used only for those Covid-19 patients whose oxygen saturation level (spo2) is 80-85% or more and those who need 4-5 LPM of oxygen. This is because this is usually the limit for oxygen concentrator to deliver oxygen.”

3) How to choose the best oxygen concentrator?

The choice of an oxygen concentrator depends on its oxygen capacity or oxygen flow as well as its oxygen concentration and power input etc.

Oxygen flow:-

First, you have to see that how much LPM oxygen is required by your patient. If Covid-19 patient requires 5 LPM or less oxygen, then a 5 liter oxygen concentrator would be a good choice. But if your patient requires more than 5 LPM oxygen than in that case 5 liter oxygen concentrators will not work, so in this case you will need an oxygen concentrator that gives 10 LPM oxygen.

TIP- Generally, the higher the oxygen flow, the larger the size of that oxygen concentrator and the higher its cost.

Oxygen flow meter

Generally, oxygen flow can be increased or decreased according to your need with the help of oxygen flow meter (in built in oxygen concentrator).
But in recent times, due to the increased requirement of oxygen concentrator, many such oxygen concentrators have also come in the markets which work on only on single oxygen flow setting.
Therefore, while buying an oxygen concentrator, it is important to see whether you can control the oxygen flow or not. In a good oxygen concentrator, you can control oxygen flow from its maximum flow to 0.1 LPM.

Oxygen concentration

Air consists of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and 1% other gases. An oxygen concentrator removes oxygen from this air by filtering it, and the higher the amount of O2 in this filtered oxygen, the faster it fulfills the oxygen present in the patient's blood.
Therefore, it can be said that the higher the oxygen concentration level, the better your oxygen concentrator. Good oxygen concentrators come with 93+3 and 93-3 oxygen concentration level.

TIP- Some Oxygen Concentrators claim 90% Oxygen Concentration Level, but their concentration level drops below 50% when used. So, always choose a branded oxygen concentrator. You can also measure oxygen concentration level with oxygen analyzer.

Power supply

An oxygen concentrator requires a power supply to work, i.e. an oxygen concentrator can work continuously for 24 hours; the only condition is that the oxygen concentrator gets power for 24 hours. If you live in an area where there is a power cut, you can use the oxygen concentrator on the inverter.

Weight of oxygen concentrator

The weight of an oxygen concentrator does matter for people who have to walk here and there. But if you are using it for a Covid-19 patient, then it is difficult that you have any issue with its light or heavy weight. But still always choose the lightweight oxygen concentrator.

Normally, portable oxygen concentrator weighs 2.5 kg to 6 kg and a home oxygen concentrator weigh 10 kg to 28 kg (including both 5 liter and 10 liter oxygen concentrators)

4) Home oxygen concentrator and portable oxygen concentrator – which one is best for Covid-19 patient?

Before understanding Home & Portable Oxygen Concentrator, you have to understand Plus Dose & Continuous Flow.

Pulse dose flow- Pulse Dose Flow Oxygen Concentrator detects when the patient is breathing and exhaling and provides oxygen supply accordingly. But sometimes the oxygen concentrator cannot identify it, due to which the patient's sleep is disturbed. Maximum portable oxygen concentrator works on plus dose flow.

Continues flow - Continuous flow oxygen concentrator are used to provide continuous supply of oxygen. Continuous Flow Oxygen Concentrator gives oxygen continuously to the patient after sleeping at night, due to which the patient does not have any problem in sleeping. All Home oxygen concentrator work on continues flow.

Since a Covid-19 patient need continues supply of oxygen, so always a home oxygen concentrator is recommended by doctor. But still, before taking oxygen concentrator, you must consult your doctor that which oxygen concentrator is right for your patient.

5) Which oxygen concentrators are  the best?

Philips, devilbiss, BPL, Niscomed, Nidek, Dr trust are the best oxygen concentrator manufactures.

Best oxygen concentrator in 2021 which meets all the above-mentioned qualities:-

#1.Philips oxygen concentrator- everflo 5 ltr.

#2.Devilbiss oxygen concentrator

  • Devilbiss oxygen concentrator – 5 ltr.
  • Devilbiss oxygen concentrator – 10 ltr.

#3.BPL Oxygen concentrator Oxy 5 Neo – 5 ltr

#4. Niscomed oxygen concentrator

#5. Nidek oxygen concentrator

6) Where can you buy an oxygen concentrator?

You can buy oxygen concentrator from www.hospitalsstore.com. On Hospitals Store you can get  only best and branded oxygen concentrator because Hospitals Store deals in USFDA and European sea approved oxygen concentrator.

 

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