What Is An Oximeter?



Get Fitness Equipment Information on mps-fitness-equipment.com. What Is An Oximeter? topic will increase your understanding on Fitness Equipment Information. We at mps-fitness-equipment.com only provide news, articles, information in Fitness Equipment Information. Fitness Equipment Information at mps-fitness-equipment.com provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

An oximeter, or a pulse oximeter, is a medical device that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. A pulse oximeter has become an important monitoring tool in modern medicine. The oximeter is attached to a monitor so as to enable a direct reading of the patient's oxygenation at all times. This is because timely recognition of low saturation conditions and emergency correction measures can prevent potentially devastating complications. Before the oximeter was invented, a series of complicated blood tests were needed.

Oximeter manufacturers have been rising to the occasion by continually improving on their products to reduce the margin of error and provide safer tools. Clinicians are thus provided with the most technologically advanced systems. Oximeters now come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they serve a variety of uses, but the main aim of all oximeters is to monitor oxygen saturation readings.

Clinical motion by the patient and corresponding errors in reading accurate saturation levels pose a major challenge to manufacturers. Clinical motion may cause volatility, dashing of display, inaccuracy, and freezing of saturation readings. Studies reveal that among adults extending, rubbing, clenching and flexing are the most common motions. In infants, kicking, clenching and flexing are the most common motions. Clinical motions are irregular and are generally very short in duration. Oximeters traditionally calculate saturation by measuring the difference in trough and peak of each plethysmographic waveform. Advanced digital signaling allows the modern hi-tech meters to make accurate readings that were otherwise impossible.

An oximeter usually measures the percent of normal. Normal ranges usually vary from 95 to 100 percent. The blood vessels expand and contract with the heartbeat, so the monitored signals bounce in time with the heartbeat. Modern oximeters can also clip onto the finger of a patient and determine the amounts of chemicals by using optical properties of light.

The way in which pulse oximetry works is interesting. Well oxygenated blood is bright red in color, while poorly oxygenated blood is darker, almost purple in tinge. Bright red blood will absorb more light. Oximeters can also distinguish between venous and arterial bloods.

Oximeters or blood-oxygen monitors are critical in emergency medicine and can be crucial for patients with cardiac or respiratory problems. Another interesting use of the meter is in non-pressurized airplanes where pilots operate above 10,000 feet, thus needing supplemental oxygen. Oximeters are routinely used in operating rooms and intensive care units as a part of their vital-sign monitoring. They are also used in sleep labs and with overnight oximetry tests to determine nocturnal hypoxemia (drop in oxygen levels). Patients who need supplemental oxygen aids or any other type of non-invasive breathing aids are thus helped greatly.

Other than hospitals and labs, people who are dependent on supplemental oxygen find it useful to own an oximeter. Such people feel comfort and security in being able to monitor their own oxygen needs. When such people become extremely short of breath, they are able to understand processes that take place within them, and thus feel empowered. People use oximeters while exercising or exerting themselves, so they can monitor their oxygen levels continually.

Oxygen is a form of medication, and oxygen levels should not be adjusted without consulting a doctor first. It is good for patients to be proactive with their own health care, but one should not get obsessed with the readings and get over alarmed.

Article Index: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63



More Articles:


1. Treating And Preventing Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids, or piles as they are commonly known, are the inflamed and swollen veins around the anus or the lower part of the rectum. Hemorrhoids may result from inordinate straining to pass out stool. Pregnancy, constipation or diarrhea, anal intercourse, and aging also may lead to the formation of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be external or internal. It is easy to confuse other anorectal problems like fissures, fistula, or abscesses with hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are not life threatening and th…

2. Healthy Eating To Cure Insomnia
Not being able to fall asleep is a problem that has plagued almost everyone at some point in their lives. You toss and turn while you watch the clock slowly tick the minutes away. Just as you feel the tug of sleep, you hear the sound of the alarm clock and you have to get up and face your day without any rest. There are many contributing factors to the problem of insomnia. One of those factors might be what you are eating during the day. Your breakfast, lunch or dinner could be the culprit behin…

3. Proform - The Highly Recognized Name in Treadmills
Proform is a highly recognized name in treadmills. Proform has been around for many years and is a subsidiary of the same company that manufactures Nordic Track and Reebok. Proform treadmills get varying reviews from users. Some people are very satisfied with the performance and quality of their Proform treadmill while others insist they lack in quality and longevity. The most common reason Proform is chosen over other brand names is the affordable price. Proform has introduced several new model…

4. Home Sweet Treadmill
For those of you trying to stay in shape or shed a few pounds (who isn't?) there are tons of resources. Perhaps you think there's nothing better than outdoor sports to burn up the calories as you feel those wonderful endorphins kicking in.But what if it's winter and you're snowbound? What if you live, as I do, in the Southeast, where it seems that it's either too hot and humid for outdoor exertion, or it's pouring rain. Your next best alternative may be an indoor regimen. Gyms, however, are expe…