By Harriett Crosby


Most people know that their pulse, or heart rate, can be measured, and that this measurement may be necessary for several medical reasons. During a general check up at the doctor, your heart rate will most likely be determined to see if it is normal. Oximetry is the medical term used to describe the measurement of how much oxygen is within the blood at any given time. For this purpose, the wrist pulse oximeter has been developed.

Oximeters are equipment with various designs, and mostly they are found in large health institutions, such as hospitals. Nurses and doctors will use them in the critical care units and in the emergency department of the facility; and possibly in other areas as well. However, people also need the device outside of a hospital, and this is why they have been created in the form of a wristwatch. They will be needed when someone is in danger of their oxygen levels falling below an acceptable range.

Wristwatch oximeters are not cumbersome in any way, and have all the features of a hospital's unit. They have a memory of possibly up to eighty hours, which means that every reading can be stored. However, when the memory is full, the information must first be deleted or transferred before the device will work again. These wristwatch devices have been approved for usage by the FDA.

The wristwatch oximeters are usually used on one's finger, but on the earlobe or on a toe are common places too. The device does not hurt in any way, as it is non-invasive, and works with red and infrared lights. They are ideally bought by people who wish to monitor their levels of oxygen during sleep, study or exercise, or because they have asthma.

The light that is shined onto the skin is mostly absorbed by tissue, but some is not, and it is this small amount of light that is used to show the level of oxygen in the blood, or the hemoglobin levels. An individual in good health will be expected to get a reading of between 95% and 98%. It will rarely be at 100%. However, for some people it could be normal that the percentage is anything down to 90% as well. Below this percentage, the patient may be having trouble breathing.

There are certain ways that someone's oxygen levels should be measured with oximeters to ensure that the device's readings are more accurate. Firstly, oximeters can only work when the pulse of the patient can be easily detected, and is strong. The reading will not be accurate with a weaker heart rate, and for patients with irregular heartbeats.

Furthermore, the accuracy of the device is hindered by movement, as it affects the way the light is produced. The person being tested must remain still. The device works with light, and therefore the presence of other bright lights could affect its reliability. Since that oximeters can produce results that are inaccurate, several readings should always be taken.

Computer programs will need to be purchased along with the wrist pulse oximeter, but they are easy to find. The long battery life and the fact that they can be used even whilst wearing nail polish are additional advantages. They will also have a guarantee of quality.




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