Oxygen Supplementation in COPD Exacerbation with Hypoxia and Hypercapnia: What Does the Evidence Show?

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is projected to be the third leading cause of mortality worldwide in 2020, with an annual healthcare expenditure of $50 billion in the United States alone.1,2 Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), characterized by worsening cough, sputum production, and breathlessness (beyond day-to-day variation), is frequently associated with hypoxic and hypercapnic...