Pulse Oximeter Benefits and the Essential Use in COVID
Pulse oximetry is a test used to measure the oxygen level (oxygen saturation) of the blood. It is an easy, painless assessment of how well oxygen is being supplied to regions of your body furthest from your heart, such as the arms and legs.
A clip-like device called a probe is placed on a body part, such as a finger or ear lobe. The probe utilizes light to determine how much oxygen is in the blood. This information helps the healthcare provider assess if a person needs extra oxygen.
Usually, a low blood oxygen level causes symptoms like weariness or shortness of breath. But with COVID-19, you may not have symptoms from a low oxygen level. Your doctor may suggest measuring your oxygen level at home. This can help you determine when you need medical attention even if you don't have symptoms.
A typical level of oxygen is usually 95 percent or greater. Some patients with chronic lung illness or sleep apnea can have normal levels around 90 percent. The “SpO2” value on a pulse oximeter reflects the proportion of oxygen in someone’s blood. If your home SpO2 reading is lower than 95 percent , call your health care practitioner.
A pulse oximeter may assist individuals keep watch over their health and to know if they need medical care. However, while a pulse oximeter may make someone feel like they have some control over their health, it does not convey the complete story. Oxygen level recorded by a pulse oximeter is not the only technique to assess how unwell someone is. Some people may feel quite unwell and have decent oxygen levels, and some may feel OK, but have poor oxygen levels.
Pulse oximetry readings may not be as accurate for persons with darker skin. Their oxygen levels are occasionally reported as higher than they really are. People who monitor their own oxygen levels, or those who check it for them, should keep this in mind when looking at results.
Oxygen levels may be low if someone feels short of breath, is breathing quicker than usual, or feels too unwell to accomplish their usual daily activities, even if a pulse oximeter says their oxygen levels are normal. Call a doctor or another health care provider right away if you have these symptoms.
Why could I need pulse oximetry?
Pulse oximetry may be used to see if there is adequate oxygen in the blood. This information is needed in various kinds of circumstances.
It may be used on the following:
- During or after surgery or procedures that use sedation
- To see how effectively lung medications are working
- To examine a person’s ability to manage greater activity levels
- To see if a ventilator is needed to help with breathing, or to see how well it’s working
- To check a person has moments when breathing pauses during sleep (sleep apnea) (sleep apnea)
How do you utilize a pulse oximeter?
- Turn on the pulse oximeter. (Check that it contains batteries.)
- Clip it to the end of a finger, with your nail facing up. You'll see the results in a few seconds.
- The instrument delivers two results: your blood oxygen level (SpO2) and your pulse rate (PR).
- Your doctor can help you know what statistics are normal for you.
Blood oxygen level is the quantity of oxygen your blood carries. The levels show how well your body distributes oxygen throughout the body and consequently might give an indication of your general health.
As per the World Health Organization’s definition, an oxygen level between 95 – 100 percent is normal. Values under 94 percent should be reviewed by a doctor, while levels below 90 percent are considered a clinical emergency and require immediate medical intervention.
When you’re exposed to COVID-19, your lungs are one of the key organs to be impacted. Damage to the lungs can cause the oxygen in your blood to decrease to dangerously low levels, even when you feel generally healthy, or present no other symptoms of the infection. This is characterized as “silent pneumonia.
Hypoxemia and Hypoxia
Hypoxemia refers to the low level of oxygen in your blood. It can induce hypoxia (low oxygen in your tissues), which means not enough oxygen is making it to the cells in the body that require it.
Fatigue or shortness of breath, bluish coloring in the cheeks and lips, restlessness, chest pain, and a high pulse rate are some typical indications of low blood oxygen in your body. But in rare circumstances, you may display no symptoms. Silent hypoxia happens when a pulse oximetry test on a person with no symptoms of low blood oxygen, resulting in an oximetry reading that is lower than what is considered normal. This phenomenon has recently been noticed in substantial number of persons diagnosed with COVID-19.
Hypoxia, if not diagnosed early, can cause substantial damage to your major organs and lead to the disease worsening.
Apart than COVID-19, asthma, heart illness, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are some other disorders that might alter blood oxygen levels.