![]() ![]() Moreover, some factors may influence the readings such as: More expensive oximeters may have more accurate sensors and the ability to provide more reliable readings, while cheaper versions may not even be intended for medical use and may not have passed any accuracy test. Pulse oximeters are a very useful tool, but they are not perfect. ![]() Patients with COPD may use pulse oximeters when a worsening of the usual symptoms of the disease happen, both to understand the seriousness of the exacerbation and to facilitate home treatment by adjusting the oxygen therapy to reach the target saturation of 88-92%. Pulse oximeters in patients with chronic pulmonary disease ![]() By measuring the SpO2 a couple of times per day you may be able to detect a lowering of your blood oxygen levels even when this is not reflected by your symptoms, allowing for a timely medical intervention. While in the general healthy population having a pulse oximeter at home may not be useful, for COVID-19 patients this instrument may actually help detect a complication of the disease: silent hypoxia. Pulse oximeters in COVID-19 patients: silent hypoxia In some cases though, you may feel ok and have no shortness of breath, but at the same time you may have low blood oxygen levels, a condition known as silent hypoxia which is also associated with the CoViD-19. Shortness of breath, chest tightness, rapid breathing, feeling tired and weak, wheezing, mental confusion, numbness or tingling of the extremities, cyanosis and the use of accessory respiratory muscles for breathing are some of the clinical signs and symptoms that you may have a respiratory problem. In general, symptoms and clinical signs should come before the numbers, with the latter being useful to better understand and to have an objective measure of the former. Pulmonary diseases also may lower the SpO2: COPD patients for example have 88-92% as target saturation. Obesity, smoking, old age are factors that affect oxygen saturation making it lower. In a healthy person, a normal oxygen saturation is above 95% it is considered abnormal in the 90-94% range and it requires medical attention below 90%. ![]() Although more precise, arterial blood gas analysis is an invasive test as it requires a healthcare professional to draw blood from an artery, usually from the wrist (radial artery) in an emergency setting, and it is not immediate as it needs a lab to analyze the sample. SpO 2 stands for peripheral oxygen saturation and is the value detected by pulse oximeters.Īnother common and more reliable measure of blood oxygen levels is the arterial blood gas analysis or SaO 2. Pulse oximeters in patients with chronic pulmonary disease.Pulse oximeters in COVID-19 patients: silent hypoxia. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |