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Safety in the use of vaseline during oxygen therapy: the pharmacist’s perspective

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Abstract

The justification of the combination of vaseline and oxygen has been subject for discussion in many hospitals. Due to the lack of evidence based data in literature, we have provided recommendations from a pharmacist’s perspective. The use of petroleum-based products should be avoided when handling patients under oxygen therapy. Whenever a skin moisturizer is needed for lubrication or rehydration of dry nasal passages, the lips or nose when breathing oxygen, consider the use of oil-in water creams or water-based products.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, 5K12D, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Tiene Bauters & Geneviève Laureys

  2. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Hôpital Universiaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

    Guy Van Schandevyl

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  1. Tiene Bauters
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  2. Guy Van Schandevyl
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  3. Geneviève Laureys
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Correspondence to Tiene Bauters.

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Bauters, T., Van Schandevyl, G. & Laureys, G. Safety in the use of vaseline during oxygen therapy: the pharmacist’s perspective. Int J Clin Pharm 38, 1032–1034 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0365-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0365-7

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