Wellingborough, UK - The aging population and the increased prevalence of COPD are the most common contributors to the increase in the number of patients receiving long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT ). With the increasing number of ambulatory patients requiring portable solutions, there is an increased demand for portable solutions. Patients are now becoming more involved in the decision-making process and are starting to demand better products, generally to improve how they live. The practice of providing long-term oxygen therapy is improving and increasing the quality of patient care. As the market moves to a "non-delivery" mode of home oxygen therapy provision, increased demand for portable ambulatory products is expected. A new report from InMedica (www.in-medica.com) predicts that the world market for oxygen therapy devices will be worth more than $1.1 billion by 2015.

"According to estimates provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2007, 210 million people were diagnosed with COPD, whilst over 50 million others had other under-diagnosed chronic respiratory diseases." reported Kelly Barritt, Senior Market Research Analyst at InMedica. "In 2008, the American Thoracic Society projected that there were close to 800,000 patients receiving LTOT in the United States. As the prevalence of COPD increases, so will the number of oxygen therapy users." commented Miss Barritt.

With increasing focus on providing improved quality of care, demand for portable oxygen therapy is growing. Portable oxygen concentrators enable patients to remain mobile, ensuring that they can maintain their daily activities. As the prevalence of LTOT users rises, product choice is expected to improve. Many suppliers are now expanding their product offering to have products suitable for every type of patient, so the only limiting factor will be reimbursement. Designed to provide increased patient flexibility, and overall quality of care, portable concentrators are projected to win revenue share over the next five years. InMedica predicts that global revenues for portable oxygen concentrators will increase from $153.1 million in 2011 (15.5% of global revenues) to $228.3 million (20.1%) by 2015.

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