[Pulsed hypoxia in the treatment of obstructive lung diseases]

A new approach to the treatment of chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases is proposed: helium-oxygen therapy combined with repeated interrupted hypoxic stimuli. Helium inclusion into hypoxic gas mixture leads to reduced air density. Gas mixture containing 10-15% of oxygen is more effective at the level of alveolocapillary membrane. When conducted in normal atmospheric pressure, the method involved no complications and produced positive responses in coronary heart disease, hypertension, alimentary diseases. The mixture of helium with oxygen (85-90% of helium, 10-15% oxygen) in combination with impulse normobaric hypoxia has been tried in 25 chronics with obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma. The results were indicative of the treatment efficacy: bronchial permeability improved in 67% of the cases, forced vital capacity of the lungs increased, inspiratory reserve volume grew, dyspnea and cough diminished, sputum discharge improved, general tonicity and performance status changed positively. Six-month follow-up evidenced positive shifts too.