While many portable oxygen concentrators are designed for medical use, some are meant for healthy people to use on plateaus or recreational activities like mountain climbing. These "non-medical" concentrators can be dangerous if used for long-term oxygen therapy.

• Insufficient oxygen: Can lead to chronic hypoxia and faster disease progression.
• No safety features: Lack of alarms and liability can lead to dangerous situations.
• Misdiagnosis: Doctors may prescribe inappropriate treatment if they are unaware of the device's limitations.

In essence, it's crucial to invest in a medical-grade oxygen concentrator to ensure safe and effective oxygen therapy. Before knowing how to identify medical-grade oxygen concentrator, you have to know the key difference between medical and non-medical concentrators.

• Medical-grade concentrators: typically produce oxygen with a purity of 90% or higher at all flow rates.
• Non-medical concentrators: may only reach 90% at low flow rates. As you increase the flow, the oxygen concentration drops significantly.

• Prioritize oxygen concentration: Ensure the device can maintain 90% or higher oxygen concentration at all flow rates.
• Look for safety features: Look for devices with alarms and other safety features.
• Avoid recreational devices: Be wary of low prices. If a concentrator seems too good to be true, it probably is.