A pulse oximeter measures the arterial oxygen saturation of your blood. However, it can also provide a false sense of security since it can measure other parameters as well. A pulse oximeter measures arterial oxygenation by measuring the absorption of light by hemoglobin. Hemoglobin in arterial blood is red and absorbs certain wavelengths of light. The pulse oximeter uses a light-emitting diode (LED) probe that is placed on a suitable part of the body. It then transmits these light wavelengths to a receiver light sensor to determine the percentage of oxygenated hemoglobin in total hemoglobin. Oxygen enters the lungs and passes through thin membranes. It then enters the bloodstream, where red blood cells pick up oxygen and carry it to other parts of the body. The pulse oximeter measures the amount of oxygen bound to red blood cells. The device reports the blood's oxygen saturation levels in percentages. The use of a pulse oximeter is widely accepted in many medical settings. It is noninvasive, convenient, and provides continuous monitoring. However, there are several limitations to this technique. The sensitivity and specificity of the measurements are not the same, and there is often a gap. It can only provide a partial measurement of arterial oxygen saturation. A pulse oximeter can only determine the arterial oxygen saturation of the blood, not the whole blood. Using a Pulse Oximeter to diagnose COVID-19 can save lives. The device may give a false sense of security, especially if the patient is having trouble in breathing. In fact, COVID-19 patients have shown up with low oxygen saturation levels. While pulse oximeters are used to measure the oxygen saturation of blood, they can also assess other parameters. However, these devices may not give accurate readings if light pollution interferes with the signals from the sensor. The sensor can be contaminated by other devices emitting light in the same spectrum. The basic design of a pulse oximeter allows for the convenient, non-invasive measurement of blood oxygen saturation in a patient. It’s measurement technique relies on a blood sample that is processed in a laboratory. However, it is not able to measure oxygen metabolism in a person or calculate how much oxygen is used. Moreover, pulse oximetry is not a reliable way to determine circulatory sufficiency. Even when oxygen saturation is high in the blood, tissues may still be suffering from hypoxia. Another limitation of the pulse oximeter is its ability to detect light only after it passes through the organ. The amount of blood flowing through the finger is much greater than the rate of tissue metabolism, the signal produced by a pulse oximeter will be significantly lower than expected. The light emitted by pulse oximeters is not reliable in internal structures that are not accessible to a person's fingers. Moreover, the light emitted by a pulse oximeter is affected by skin pigmentation. This also reduces the accuracy of the measurement. For using a pulse oximeter, it must be inserted the oximeter on the index or middle finger and held in place for a minute or two. If the reading does not remain stable, wait a few minutes longer. Record the reading once the reading is stable. This is a very useful tool if you're experiencing symptoms of a serious illness. The accuracy of a pulse oximeter varies from one manufacturer to another. The accuracy reported by a pulse oximeter is based on the average readings of patients in a study. Individual variations exist among patients. Therefore, the SpO2 reading should be regarded as an estimate rather than a definitive diagnosis. However, it is important to remember that the accuracy of a pulse oximeter is limited to an individual level and provides more value when it comes to trends over time.
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