Mixing Hyperbaric Oxygen with Other Prescription Drugs

We'll say it again: hyperbaric oxygen is a prescription drug. An intriguing new scientific paper treats it as such and explores how hyperbaric oxygen may interact with other drugs. The author notes potential interactions, both beneficial and harmful, with 38 (55%) of the 69 commonly prescribed drugs reviewed.

Go to Medscape to read "An Appraisal of Potential Drug Interactions Regarding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Frequently Prescribed Medications," by Robert G. Smith, DPM, MSc, RPh, C.Ped, published in the June issue of the journal Wounds. The operative word is "potential." There are no firm revelations or warnings here, and this study shares the relative weakness of all literature reviews and analyses. But how good for Dr Smith to have begun this important work.

You may wish to skip straight to Table 1 for the overview. Then we recommend a quick read of the excellent sections on how hyperbaric oxygen affects human physiology and alters the mechanisms and effects of many medications.

O2.0 is the news blog of HyperbaricLink, the independent web guide to hyperbaric oxygen therapy.