November is COPD and Lung Cancer Awareness Month – annual events which aim to raise awareness around these progressive and debilitating conditions.
In this blog post, we’re exploring the advantages of lightweight medical oxygen cylinders for home use, and how they can help people with respiratory illness.
For those dependent on the use of oxygen at home, a portable and lightweight gas cylinder can enable the living of a fuller and more independent life. Cylinder weight matters – and this is especially true for elderly and inform patients who are frail or live alone.
Whilst a hospital environment benefits from the help of trained staff used to regularly handling and moving gas cylinders, using oxygen at home and when on the go can be far more challenging for someone who has decreased mobility or cardiovascular strength.
Medical Oxygen and The Impact of Respiratory Illness
The impact that respiratory illness has within the UK is huge, with approximately 10,000 people being newly diagnosed with a lung disease every week. It is estimated that 1.2 million people are living with diagnosed COPD, making it the second most common lung disease in the UK after asthma.
For these people, oxygen therapy is essential. It’s also something that could be in increased demand for following the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic – should the virus cause long term damage to lung health.
For patients who depend on cylinders, every kilogram matters, and a lightweight oxygen cylinder is better as it is more portable, can be lifted easily and is simpler to manage.
AMS Medical Oxygen Cylinders – A Lighter Solution
Our medical oxygen cylinders are some of the lightest Type 3 carbon composite cylinders available on the market, and up to 50% lighter than traditional aluminium products. They are certified for home oxygen use in markers across the globe and provide significant practical and financial benefits to prescribers, patients and providers.
These include:
-
Portability
– lower weights are easier to carry, which are more suitable for independent living
-
Range
– Our cylinders have higher pressures, meaning higher capacities and greater freedom for the user
-
Lifespan
– AMS carbon composite cylinders are NLL (Non-Limited Life)
-
Cost
– Our gas cylinders offer value for money to providers. They have higher capacities, meaning less frequent refilling is required – reducing the overall number of cylinders needed
-
Flexibility
– We supply 1L, 2L and 3L cylinders depending on patient requirements
AMS Medical Oxygen Cylinders in Action
AMS Medical Oxygen Cylinders are used by some of the UK’s leading providers of home respiratory therapies including Baywater Healthcare and Dolby Vivisol.
Both businesses supply patients with essential oxygen therapy to multiple NHS regions, and were seeking reputable alternatives to their existing cylinder supplier. They had very specific requirements – wanting a high-quality product at a competitive price, and to reduced lead times on delivery.
AMS provided an effective product that met these specific requirements and helped them manage costs. They were satisfied with our solutions, and both companies continue to go from strength to strength.
Baywater went on to sign several long-term oxygen therapy contracts with several NHS regions, and in 2020 Dolby was recognised, along with the National Services Scotland, for its contribution to the oxygen service during the COVID 19 Pandemic.
Baywater has also since won new tenders to supply additional home oxygen service contracts to patients in other regions across the UK – with AMS as the composite cylinder supplier.
Portable Oxygen Cylinders from AMS Composite Cylinders
Our lightweight portable home oxygen cylinders are available in a range of standard and customised sizes, including 1L,2L and 3L capacities. They are produced to ISO and EN standards (including ISO-11119-2, ISO 11119-1, EN 12245, EN 12257, ISO 7666 and ISO 11118) and to the requirements of UN PED/TPED, DOT (USA) and TC (Canada).
Products include carbon composite cylinders for a wide variety of breathing air, oxygen therapy and other applications, such as healthcare, respiratory, hydrogen fuel cell, SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus), laboratory, emergency and environmental uses.
Get in Touch
AMS Composite Cylinders supplies state of the art, lightweight aluminium and carbon composite gas cylinders for a wide range of healthcare, homecare, breathing gas and medical gas applications.
We supply clients across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, providing industry leading quality, reliable service and short lead times.
For additional information about AMS Composite Cylinders or to order, please contact us today.