Oxygen therapy in patients with chest pain of acute onset: single centre audit experience

Although oxygen therapy has been commonly used in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes, evidence shows that oxygen administration is not always beneficial to patients with acute chest pain and in certain circumstances may, in fact, be harmful. Hence, several national and international organizations have issued guidelines restricting its use to hypoxic patients only.

To audit and change the inappropriate practice of administering oxygen therapy indiscriminately to patients with acute chest pain.

Emergency department, coronary care unit and heart assessment centre in a large teaching hospital.

The authors identified 100 patients who presented with acute chest pain and collected data on oxygen prescription, administration and documentation from clinical notes and observation charts.

Only 71% of patients in a hospital setting were correctly assessed for requiring oxygen therapy. After introducing local guidelines and a series of lectures, this rose to 94%. A third audit showed sustained change, with 96% of patients being appropriately assessed for needing oxygen therapy.

The introduction of local guidelines and a series of lectures improved handling of oxygen in patients presenting with acute chest pain.