Is a Pulse Oximeter for Me?

Before purchasing a pulse oximeter you need to make sure you research the devices to make sure you really are getting what you think you are getting. There are many to choose from and you will be glad you have one, especially when you really need it.

Summary

A pulse oximeter is a device that is used to measure the concentration of oxygen that is in your blood. It is used in the evaluation of various medical conditions that affect the function of the heart and lungs, so all in all, it is a very important device to have. The device can be placed on the finger on your earlobe or on one of your fingers. The oximeters are most commonly used today are called pulse oximeters because they respond only to pulsations, such as those in pulsating capillaries of the area tested. Oximeters are now a virtual fixture in intensive care units, pulmonary units and elsewhere in hospitals and health care facilities but there are many people that now want to have these very handy medical devices inside their home.

Functionality

A pulse oximeter works by passing a beam of red and infrared light through a pulsating capillary bed. The ratio of red to infrared blood light that is transmitted is going to give you a measure of the oxygen saturation of your blood. The oximeter is going to work on the principle that the oxygenated blood is a brighter color of red than the deoxygenated blood, which in turn is more blue-purple. The oximeter is going to measure the sum of the intensity of both shades of red, which represents the fractions of the blood with and without oxygen in them. The oximeter is also going to detect the pulse and then subtracts the intensity of color that is detected when the pulse is absent. The remaining intensity of color is going to represent only the oxygenated red blood that you have. All of this valuable pulse information is going to be displayed on the electronic screen as a percentage of oxygen saturation in your blood.

Quick Synopsis

A pulse oximeter can easily be purchased by anyone. You do not have to be a doctor or work in a hospital setting in order to get your hands on one of these types of devices that is really going to save your life. The oximeter is going to be able to:

•      Measures your oxygen level 
•       Measure your heart rate

The devices are:

•      Portable
•      Lightweight
•     Convenient

The oximeter medical tools can be used for:

•      Sports use
•    Recreational use
•      Medical use at home

The dependable oxygen level and pulse rate measurements are going to be what you are going to need for all of your daily needs. It will measure your oxygen level and pulse rate. Many of the devices are going to:

•     Have a soft silicone padding
•   Have a strong, slip-resistant clip 
•     Are noninvasive
•     No pricking is required
•     Have very easy to read results

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Ins and Outs for a Pulse Oximeter

If you are looking for a pulse oximeter, you need to research them out before purchasing one. You are going to have many to choose from, so you want to get one that is going to suit your needs and wants.

Summary

A pulse oximeter is a noninvasive way for monitoring a person's oxygen saturation. The reading of the device is not always an identical to the reading of SaO2 from arterial blood gas analysis. It is a safe, convenient, noninvasive and inexpensive pulse oximetry method that is going to be valuable for measuring oxygen saturation in clinical use.In its most common mode, a sensor device is placed on a thin part of your body (most likely your fingertip or earlobe). 

Function

A pulse oximeter is going to display the percentage of blood that is loaded with oxygen, meaning that it is going to measure what percentage of hemoglobin, the protein in blood that carries oxygen, is loaded. Normal ranges for patients that are good without pulmonary pathology are from 95% to 99%. A oximeter uses an electronic processor and a pair of small light-emitting diodes facing a photodiode through a translucent part of the patient's body (again, fingertip or an earlobe). 

Indications

A pulse oximeter is a medical device that indirectly monitors the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood. The oximeter may be incorporated into a multiparameter patient monitor. Most of the monitors are also going to display the pulse rate of the person the oximeter is put on. Portable, battery-operated oximeters are also available for transport or home blood-oxygen monitoring.

Advantages

A pulse oximeter is convenient for noninvasive continuous measurement of blood oxygen saturation. Oximeters are useful in any setting where a person’s oxygenation is unstable, including intensive care, operating, recovery, emergency and hospital ward settings, for assessment of any patient's oxygenation and determining need for supplemental oxygen. A oximeter is used to monitor oxygenation but it cannot determine the amount of oxygen being used by a person. It can also be used to detect abnormalities in ventilation. The use of an oximeter to detect hypoventilation is impaired with the use of supplemental oxygen.

Pulse oximeters are of importance in emergency medicine and are also very useful for people with respiratory or cardiac problems, such as people with:

·         COPD

·         Apnea and

·         Hypopnea.

Portable pulse oximeters are also useful for mountain climbers and athletes whose oxygen levels may decrease at high altitudes or with exercise. 

Limitations

Pulse oximeters measures hemoglobin saturation, not ventilation. By using the device it is not going to give you a complete measure of respiratory sufficiency. Erroneously low readings may be caused by:

·         Hypoperfusion of the extremity being used for monitoring (often due to a limb being cold, or from vasoconstriction secondary to the use of vasopressor agents)

·         Incorrect sensor application

·         Highly calloused skin

·         Movement 

To make sure the Pulse oximeter is ready accurately, you need ensure that the sensor should return a steady pulse and/or pulse waveform. 

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