A 72-year-old man with known COPD presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of increased cough, sputum volume, and dyspnoea. On arriva...

Question

A 72-year-old man with known COPD presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of increased cough, sputum volume, and dyspnoea. On arrival he is using accessory muscles with an oxygen saturation of 84 percent on room air. What target oxygen saturation range should you aim for when administering supplemental oxygen to this patient?

Accepted Answer

88-92 percent to balance hypoxia and hypercapnia risk

Answer

70-75 percent to avoid depressing his respiratory drive

Answer

80-84 percent to match his baseline

Answer

94-100 percent to fully correct hypoxia

Answer

>96 percent only if he is intubated

ca-mccqe1 MCQ (SBA): Acute exacerbation of COPD