Titrate to the least FiO2 needed to maintain which parameter?

• A. PaO2
• B. Ventilation
• C. SpO2
• D. Respiratory rate

Answer: (C)

Titrate oxygen to the lowest FiO2 that keeps oxygenation within a safe range, using SpO2 as the guide. SpO2 provides a continuous, noninvasive readout of how saturated the blood is with oxygen, which directly reflects tissue oxygen delivery. Because you can monitor SpO2 in real time, you can dial down FiO2 until the SpO2 stays within the target range, minimizing oxygen exposure and risk of hyperoxia.

PaO2 would require arterial blood gas testing and isn’t practical for ongoing titration, since it isn’t available continuously. Ventilation and respiratory rate relate to removing CO2 and overall breathing effort, not the oxygen content of the blood, so they aren’t the parameters used to determine how much FiO2 to give.