IMPULSE HYPOXIA IN MANAGEMENT OF PULMONAR Y OBSTRUCTIVE DISEASES

A new approach to the treatment of chronic nonspecific pulmonary disea ses is proposed: helium-oxygen therapy combined with repeated interrup ted hypoxic stimuli. Helium inclusion into hypoxic gas mixture leads t o reduced air density. Gas mixture containing 10-15 % of oxygen is mor e effective at the level of alveolocapillary membrane. When conducted in normal atmospheric pressure, the method involved no complications a nd produced positive responses in coronary heart disease, hypertension , alimentary diseases. The mixture of helium with oxygen (85-90 % of h elium, 10-15 % oxygen) in combination with impulse normobaric hypoxia has been tried in 25 chronics with obstructive bronchitis and bronchia l asthma. The results were indicative of the treatment efficacy: bronc hial 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 perf ormance status changed positively. month follow-up evidenced positive shifts too.