A Review on the Nobility and Medical Importance of Helium

Abstract

The colourless, odourless and monoatomic gas, helium, is considered as the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen. Helium is classified as a noble gas and it is the lightest noble gas. Noble gases including helium, although extremely inert chemically, display a remarkable spectrum of clinically useful biological properties. Medically, helium’s applications range from respiratory care, where it facilitates easier breathing through heliox mixtures, to cardiology and neurology, where it offers cardioprotection and neuroprotection during ischemia/reperfusion injuries.