There are many uses of pulse oximeteres. They are an electronic medical device that are specifically designed for measuring the concentration of oxygen in the blood. This is performed to evaluate the condition of the lungs and heart. Pulse oximeters are so called because they measure pulsations, such as pulsing capillaries..
Oxygen saturation can drop for many reasons, comprising:
- Suffocation
- Inhaling toxic chemicals
- Heart failure
- Allergic reactions
- General anesthesia
- Sleep apnea
- Infections, such as pneumonia
- Chronic pulmonary disorders like lung cancer, and lung infections.
Uses of Pulse Oximeters
1: Monitoring oxygenation levels in the blood
When you breathe, oxygen enters your lungs, passes through membranes, and enters the bloodstream, wherein it is picked up through blood cells and carried throughout the body to the organs. Pulse oximeters measure the blood oxygen levels.
2: Alerts you when low oxygen levels are present
Among other uses of pulse oximeters, is that they alert you when theres low oxygen levels in blood. There are many reasons a patient has low oxygen levels:
- Disturbed oxygen concentration because of health issues.
- Shortness of breath and depressed oxygen concentration maybe due to the patient being a heavy smoker.
- Dangerously low oxygen levels in people with recurring respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
- Dangerous health effects in individuals addicted to drugs that can lower the oxygen saturation of blood and also affect breathing.
3: Screening of oxygen levels in infants
Newborns with vital Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) can have poor oxygen levels and commonly require surgical intervention in the early years of life. Pulse oximeters detect an low oxygen supply at a premature stage.
