Things To Know About Recording Pulse Oximeter

By Annabelle Holman


Data collected over time through pulse oximetry can be used to check two types of information about a patient. The two pieces of information are blood oxygen saturation percentage and the heart rate. This method is non-invasive and does not involve penetrating the body in any way. For patients receiving CPAP therapy for apnea, a recording pulse oximeter can be used to determine the efficiency of the therapy.


Research has indicated that at night time when apnea activities are happening, blood oxygen level reduces. Such drops in oxygen level can be recorded over time and then used to compare with previous recordings hence helping in determining if therapy is helping or not. Oximeters with recording capabilities have several features that make them worth having. For instance, heart rates and blood oxygen concentration levels are able to be determined on the spot.

Being able to check the 2 parameters on the spot helps in determining how normal brain functions are affected by changes in height and air pressure. People involved in strenuous activities like exercising normally want to know the rates of their heart and blood O2 saturation. Buyers should check for the features discussed below before buying an oximeter.

The first factor to consider is the display the device has. Ordinary devices will normally show only two pieces of information, the heart rate and blood O2 concentration in LED display. However, in more advanced devices, additional information may be displayed in a better display. The additional information may include perfusion index, pulse meter, pulse waveform, battery level indicator, and various menus. The menus open different functions depending on the model of the device.

An alarm function is incorporated in all good devices. The user is normally warned by the alarm when threshold values fall or exceed a given level. Threshold values are normally set by the users themselves. Therefore users receive a warning to know that the threshold blood oxygen saturation or heart rate has been surpassed or has dropped. Users are also warned when batteries fall below a certain level.

Users can choose from two major types of batteries. Standard alkaline and rechargeable lithium ion batteries are the two major types of batteries in use today. The rechargeable type is rechargeable upon being discharged hence can be reused. This makes them durable and cost effective unlike the alkaline types which become useless once they get discharged. Some oximeters can use both lithium ion and alkaline batteries. This gives users a wider range of flexibility to operate in.

Comfort is a factor that must never be overlooked. A good gadget is one that allows some level of comfort to the user. Although most clip-based designs are placed on the finger, one should ensure that they are comfortable even after hours of using the gadget. If there is any form of discomfort, the fingers can always be switched.

After checking that all the important factors are well, one may check for extra functions like Bluetooth or wireless capabilities. A device that can wirelessly transmit real time values to the computer running the software is better off. Such capabilities are important to third parties like caregivers.




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