[Home oxygen therapy].

Only severe hypoxemia at rest in COPD patients has strong recommendations for long-term oxygen therapy. It is accepted that oxygen should be prescribed if PaO2 is ≤ 7,3 kPa (55 mmHg), or if PaO2 is ≤ 8 kPa (60 mmHg) in the presence of signs of pulmonary hypertension or a hematocrit ≥ 55 %. In Switzerland, prescription is governed by the LiMA (Liste des moyens et appareils) and the patient can obtain supplies from a health care provider or directly from the provider.

Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation: Recommendations of the Swiss Society of Pulmonology.

Long-term mechanical ventilation is a well-established treatment for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (CHRF). It is aimed at improving CHRF-related symptoms, health-related quality of life, survival, and decreasing hospital admissions. In Switzerland, long-term mechanical ventilation has been increasingly used since the 1980s in hospital and home care settings.