A pulse oximeter is a noninvasive test that measures oxygen saturation in your blood. This test detects a small change in the level of oxygen rapidly. Understanding these levels help you to show how blood is carrying oxygen efficiently to the extreme body parts, further from your heart and your legs and arms. An accusure pulse oximeter is a clip-like small device attached to your finger. So this is also known as the Fingertip pulse oximeter. Healthcare professionals use this oximeter in critical care and hospital settings like emergency rooms. Other medical professionals like pulmonologists use this device in their office setting. It is nowadays used by many in their homes.

Purpose as well as uses

The best pulse oximeter ensures and checks if your blood is properly oxygenated. Healthcare professionals use this oximeter to monitor patients' medical conditions, especially in a hospital setting, and check whether their blood level is affected. It can include -

• Anemia
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) 
• Congenital heart problems
• Pneumonia
• Asthma
• Lung cancer
• Heart failure

Healthcare professionals use oxygen check machines for a variety of reasons like-

• Monitoring oxygen level after or during the surgical operation which needs sedation.
• Assessing how a newly provided lung medicine is working.
• Determining if a person needs supplemental oxygen therapy.
• Evaluating the usefulness of a ventilator.
• Assessing if anyone needs help in breathing. 
• Assessing a person’s ability to tolerate excess physical activity. 
• Determining the effectiveness of supplemental oxygen therapy when it’s a new treatment.
• Monitoring if a person stops breathing in sleep apnea case.

How to take the reading in a pulse oximeter

The pulse oximeter has great usefulness in both outpatient and inpatient settings. To take a pulse oximeter reading, you’ve to do the following-

1.      Remove your fingernail polish or jewelry from your finger if you measure from that area.

2.     Ensure that your hand is relaxed, warm, and is located below the heart level if you want to attach the oximeter here.

3.     You can place this device on your toe, earlobe, or finger. 

4.     Keep this device on so long you’ve to monitor the oxygen saturation and pulse. 

5.     Once the test gets over, you can remove the device, then.

The pulse oximeter device tells the level of oxygen saturation and heart rate. In this device, a small light beam passes through your finger’s blood and measures the level of oxygen. As per studies by the British Lung Foundation, this device measures oxygen by measuring the changes in light absorption in deoxygenated and oxygenated blood. This procedure is also painless.

How Pulse Oximetry Works

Oximeter helps monitor the oxygen level, which is also called spo2 levels that are present in your blood. It measures the light level, which is absorbed by the blood. This spo2 monitor is also called an oxygen meter, which lets you know about the oxygen level in your blood. Normal oxygen readings vary between 98 and 99; however, if the oximeter reading drops below the saturation level of 90, then it is an indication of an underlying serious health issue that needs immediate medical attention. It is also easy to use. Just place your finger in the pulse oximeter, and you can notice two lights passing- infrared light and red light. If there is a lack of oxygen in your blood, red light is also captured and lets more infrared light flow. You can know the Pulse oximeter price online or from a local chemist shop.