Pulse Oximeter - A handy and useful device to have these days!
"Pulse oximeter"
During this time of the pandemic, I would like to shed some light on one of the devices which would be very important and useful for us to have. It's the "Pulse oximeter!".
This device helps us to check our blood oxygen levels. We have been reading and watching in the media throughout the last few days about the next wave of COVID-19 that has hit the nation. All the health care professionals are constantly reminding us to stay safe and stay inside. This time it's much more severe than the last wave which hit the nation in 2020.
We have been hearing the words like lung capacity, Oxygen levels, etc. everywhere, many are unaware of these terms and the after-effects which may follow with this deadly disease.
This week's content would be about Pulse oximeter, its usages and the readings which it shows.
First and foremost let's understand what is Pulse oximetry before going any further:
Pulse oximetry - is a non-invasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level or the oxygen levels in your blood. It can rapidly detect even small changes in how efficiently oxygen is being carried to the extremities furthest from the heart, including the legs and the arms.
The pulse oximeter is a small clip-like device that is most commonly put on the finger. It is often used in a critical care setting like emergency rooms or hospitals. Some doctors, such as pulmonologists, may use it in the office.
How does the device work?
During the reading, the pulse oximeter is clamped commonly on a finger, or an earlobe, or a toe. Small beams of light pass through the blood in the area where it is clamped, measuring the amount of oxygen. It does this by measuring the changes of light absorption in the oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. This is neither a tedious nor a painful process. Thus the pulse oximeter will be able to tell you the oxygen saturation levels along with your heart rate. To be more specific and precise, this oxygen saturation machine works on the principle that different frequencies of light are absorbed in different volumes. Oxygenated Haemoglobin and Deoxygenated Haemoglobin in a patient’s blood absorb different amounts of red and infrared lights. By calculating the difference between these, a blood oxygen monitor can estimate the level of oxygenation in the blood.
Fact: Oxygen Saturation of a healthy body should never fall below 95%.
Below is the image which the Indian government Twitter handle (@mygovindia) released recently. It shows the 8 steps of using a pulse oximeter. This image is really helpful.
Article provided in the Hindustan times related to this :
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/record-oxygen-level-thrice-a-day-centre-issues-8-step-guideline-for-covid-patients-on-use-of-oximeter-101619324581080.html
What does the device reading say?
Below given is the image of the pulse oximeter display:
The screen shows that the SpO2 is 98%(oxygen saturation in the blood) and the heart rate is 72 beats per min.
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