The level of oxygen saturation in the blood is vital to physical well being. The pulse Oximeter measures oxygen saturation level in the blood. Oximeter in India is widely used in hospitals to monitor the oxygen saturation level of patients. The readings from the device are needed in many cases- for surgical procedures, to monitor effectiveness of lung medication, to determine the activity level a person can tolerate, to check for sleep apnea, and to determine whether a patients’ needs to be put on ventilator support.
The procedure uses a probe placed on the body, usually the finger. This probe measures the oxygen level in the blood using light rays.
The procedure can be done in hospitals during prolonged stay related to other reasons and also at home to decide whether a patient needs to be given oxygen. A finger pulse oximeter is easy to use. It only needs to be clipped on to the finger and the reading is displayed on the attached screen.
Patients who are on supplementary oxygen support use the home pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen level in their blood at home. It guides the patient in adjusting the oxygen flow at the optimal level.
To make your pulse oximeter work effectively for you keep a few points in mind.
Recording readings
Keep regular record of your readings. Make a chart for your regular activities and the oxygen saturation level before and after each activity. This helps in deciding the target oxygen saturation level you need to maintain and the oxygen flow rate needed to sustain that target.
When to use the device
The home pulse oximeter can be used at any time of the day or night. Depending on the time if use your Doctor decides on the oxygen needs of your body for different times of the day and for different activities.
When to consult a doctor right away
While fluctuations in oxygen saturation level can be recorded and reported intermittently, a sudden or drastic drop in the reading needs immediate attention. In such cases call up the Doctor as soon as the fall is noticed.
Remember the limitations of the device
Shortness of breath can happen even when your oximeter show an adequate level of oxygen saturation in the blood. All other abnormal symptoms need to be attended to despite a good reading on the oximeter.
Precautions for getting accurate reading
Your finger or toe needs to be warm and have adequate blood flow for the reading to be accurate. Make sure to warm the finger before using the device. Use of nail enamel impairs the reading of your device. Remove the nail colour before you use the device on your finger or use it on your toe. Never dip you device into water.
Use the Oximeter with care and get good results. Home pulse oximeter in India is becoming a viable and useful device for healthy living.
Silverline Meditech 