What is a Pulse Oximetry Test?
The degree of oxygen saturation in your blood can be measured with a safe method called a pulse oximetry test. Your pulse and blood oxygen content are measured using a pulse oximetry test. If you have a specific medical disorder, a low level of saturation of oxygen could be seen in your case. Your pulse oximetry results may also be impacted by your complexion.
This test can quickly identify even minute variations in the oxygen content. The test is used to analyse how well blood transports oxygen to your legs and arms, which are the endpoints that are distant from your heart. The pulse oximeter is a little clip-like device. It is attached to a body part, especially a finger when the reading is taken. In emergency environments like hospitals or ERs, medical practitioners commonly use them. Some medical professionals, like pulmonologists, use pulse oximeters in medical facilities.
Uses of Finger Pulse Oximetry Test
The goal of a pulse oximetry test is to check the oxygenation level of your blood. Medical professionals may employ pulse oximeters to monitor the health of individuals with diseases that fluctuate blood oxygen content, particularly when they are hospitalised. These may consist of:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pneumonia
- Asthma
- Lung cancer
- Anaemia
- Cardiac failure or cardiac attack
- Congenital cardiac condition
Finger pulse oximetry test is used by physicians for several other purposes, including:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a new lung medicine.
- To determine if anyone requires breathing assistance.
- To assess the significance of using a ventilator to keep an eye on the amount of oxygen during or after surgery that require sedation.
- To assess whether supplemental oxygen therapy is required.
- To evaluate the efficacy of supplementary oxygen therapy, particularly when the course of therapy is novel.
- To determine a person’s tolerance for intense exercise.
- During a sleep study, to determine if a person briefly stops inhaling when sleeping, as in instances of sleep apnea.
What to Expect During the Pulse Oximetry Test?
The pulse oximetry test could be conducted while you’re in the hospital or seeing a doctor. The nurse in charge will place a pulse oximeter, a tiny, clip-like gadget, to the tip of your finger, ear, or toe. To determine the amount of oxygen inside the red blood cells (RBCs) flowing through the blood arteries underneath your skin, a pulse oximeter employs a special kind of light. The examination is quick and pleasant. The device will display the heart’s rate as well as the oxygen saturation content, or the proportion of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, in just a couple of seconds.
If it’s only a one-time evaluation, your nurse will remove the device. It could be left in place to monitor your blood oxygen levels throughout an operation or a sleep study. Unless you are required to remain in the hospital for an operation or additional monitoring, you can leave the hospital following the pulse oximetry test. What happens afterwards and what you should do following the examination will be explained to you by your physician.
Home Pulse Oximeter
Pulse oximeters are sometimes used at home; these were especially popular in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your lungs may become weaker and the amount of oxygen in your blood may decrease as a result of COVID-19.
The two primary categories of home pulse oximeters are:
Over-the-counter (OTC) oximeters – These include devices with smartphone applications created to calculate oxygen saturation that can be sold directly to customers in shops or online through the Internet. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, OTC oximeter usage has increased significantly. These products aren’t subjected to FDA investigation because they are marketed as sporting or well-being goods rather than as medical devices. Since they have not received FDA clearance, over-the-counter oximeters are not appropriate for medical use.
Prescription oximeters – These are examined by the FDA, given approval, and are obtainable only with a doctor’s prescription. These pulse oximeters must pass clinical examinations to demonstrate their precision, according to the FDA. Even though they occasionally come with a prescription for use at home, clinics and hospitals are where they are widely used.
To take a reading, follow the directions provided by the manufacturer and the doctor’s recommendations on how to do the test. You can increase the likelihood of receiving reliable readings by doing the following:
- Ensure that your hand is at a comfortable, warm, and lower-than-heart level.
- Take off any nail paint from the finger you are performing the finger pulse oximetry test.
- The oximetry device should be positioned exactly as directed by its manufacturer.
- To help your doctor understand how your readings vary over time, keep a record of your blood oxygen levels together with the time and date of the event (levels that gradually decline could be a sign of a major health problem).
Risks of Pulse Oximetry Test
The test of pulse oximetry is safe. Actual risks are non-existent.
- Your skin may become irritated occasionally by the sticky substance that covers the probe.
- You may not receive an accurate result if you or the nurse fail to attach the sensor properly.
If you happen to have any queries or worries, consult your doctor.
