Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level or oxygen levels in your blood. It can quickly detect even small changes in how effectively oxygen is conveyed to the farthest extremities of the heart, including the legs and arms.
The pulse oximeter is a small clip-shaped device to attach to a body part, like the toes or earlobe. It is often put on a finger and used in intensive care settings such as emergency departments or hospitals. Some doctors, like pulmonologists, may use it in their offices. (Describe that it is good to have in-home also)
Purposes And Uses
The goal of pulse oximetry is to find out how your heart pumps oxygen through your body. It is mainly used to monitor the health status of people with any condition that may affect oxygen levels in the blood, especially while they are in hospital. These conditions include:
● Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
● Asthma
● Pneumonia
● Lung Cancer
● Anemia
● Heart attack or heart failure
● Congenital heart defects
How Does It Work?
It is not a painful process. A small clip-like device is placed on a finger, ear lobe, or toe during a pulse oximeter reading. Small clusters of light travel through the blood in the finger, measuring the amount of oxygen.
It measures the variations in light absorption in oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. In this way, the pulse oximeter will tell you your oxygen saturation rate and your heart rate.
How To Use Pulse Oximeters Correctly?
Ensure that you have no nail polish or henna on your finger.
Ensure your hands are at average temperature, warm them with a wrap if you feel cold.
Get some rest and relax your body before taking your pulse oximeter.
Place a pulse oximeter over your index finger or middle finger.
Position your hand over your chest near your heart and try to reduce the movement of your hand.
Keep the pulse oximeter on your finger for at least a minute until the reading becomes stable.
Record the highest blinking value on the oximeter after it has established itself after five seconds.
Fingertip Pulse Oximeter
Regular pulse oximeter readings typically range from 95 to 100%. Values less than 90% are considered dangerous and indicate the need for additional oxygen. Two essential readings are displayed: heart rate, measured in beats per minute, and O2(make it subscript) saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood.
Lower levels of blood oxygen saturation may indicate:
● Blocked Airways
● Difficulty breathing
● Lung Infection
● Poor blood circulation
● Drug interference from anesthesia, muscle relaxants, or anaphylaxis
Cost Of A Pulse Oximeter
There are numerous pulse oximeters, which come with varying characteristics and are sold at various prices. Pulse oximeters are typically between Rs. 500 — Rs. 3,300. You will therefore want to find the best pulse monitor for your needs.
Make sure that it is FDA approved, can provide accurate oxygen saturation levels in the blood up to +-2%, and some oximeters also offer a pulse bar graph and may turn off by themselves.
Pulse oximeters are limited and may be inaccurate in certain circumstances. In many cases, there are low levels of inaccuracy and no clinical significance. However, there is a risk that incorrect measurement could lead to unrecognized oxygen saturation levels.
Therefore, it is essential to understand the limits of forced oximetry and how precision is calculated and interpreted. Several patient factors can also affect the accuracy of the measurement.
The latest scientific data indicate differences in the accuracy of pulse oximeters between dark skin pigmentation and light skin pigmentation. This difference is generally tiny at saturations over 80% and higher when saturations are less than 80%.