What One Should Know About Recording Pulse Oximeter

By Annabelle Holman


Pulse oximetery is useful for recording two essential pieces of data from patients. The rate of the heart beat and the level of saturation of oxygen in blood are the two pieces of date captured. Since there is no penetration of the body of the patient, the method is referred to as non-invasive. A recording pulse oximeter makes it easier to determine the level of effectiveness of therapy in patients under CPAP therapy for apnea.

Apnea activities lead to a drop in blood oxygen percentage during the night when they are taking place. Such drops can be recorded by oximeters with recording capability and used to compare with previous recordings made. The efficiency of therapy can be determined basing on the variations found in the recordings. Te extra features incorporated in modern devices make it important to own one of them. For example, spot checks for heart rates and oxygen saturation are possible in modern brands.

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 display should be the first factor to consider when making a purchase. Ordinary devices based on LED displays display heart rates and saturation of O2 in blood as the only pieces of information. Complex devices however, display more data on a better screen. Most common additional data displayed includes pulse waveform, various menus, pulse meter, perfusion index, and battery level indicator. Depending on the make of product, the menus open various functions.

All good devices include the alarm function. Alarms are vital because they warn users when threshold values are exceeded or have fallen below. Normally the threshold values can be determined by the user themselves. Users therefore get warned when blood oxygen saturation or heart rate falls or exceeds a certain level. The alarm also warns users when the battery is empty or below a certain percentage.

These products come with two main types of batteries to choose from. The first type is the rechargeable lithium ion battery and the second one is the standard alkaline battery. The rechargeable type as suggested in the name can be recharged and reused when they run low. This way, they can last for several years unlike the alkaline types which when they wear out cannot be recharged. Some models of products can use both types of batteries. So it is upon the user to try that possibility out.

Comfort should be placed at the foremost of all considerations. The device should fit comfortably on the area it is attached. Since clip-based gadgets are used even at night, they should remain comfortable after several hours of use. Finger switching can also be done if any form of discomfort is felt.

Additional functionalities may be checked after ensuring that the important ones are present. Normally oximeters have accompanying software that is installed on a PC. Devices with wireless capability transmit recorded data to the PC in real time. Caregivers and other third parties can benefit from such capabilities.




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