Heliox -revisited September 28, 2008
Posted by admin in : All Diseases, COPD, General, Strategies , comments closedHeliox has a lower density than that of air and therefore aids in the distribution of aerosolized particles such as salbutamol into the distal airways in asthmatics due in part to laminar flow.
But heliox has also been found to be beneficial in patients with COPD.
In the November issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology, a group of researchers found that exercise tolerance improves significantly in patients suffering from COPD.
You can read more about their findings here.
Despite its increasing cost, the following study found a benefit in its use both in improved spirometry values, and in improved airflow.
You can find a pdf version of the article printed in the “American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 165. pp. 1317-1321, (2002)
© 2002 American Thoracic Society” Download
To read more about the treatment of asthma, I point you to the CMAJ consensus report.
