Manufacturers of pulse oximeters are currently many and each claims that their products are the best in the market. These claims make it very hard to select the right product for personal use. This becomes even harder if one has no idea about the features the device should have. This article contains useful information concerning the features to ensure are available in CMS pulse oximeters before buying.
First, there are many reasons why it is useful to use a pulse oximetry device. One of the reasons is the immediacy with which one can check their heart rate and blood oxygen concentration. This is important especially during exercise or to pilots because normal brain functioning may be affected by changes in altitude and air pressure in some people. Patients with sleep apnea should also wear the device when going to sleep to determine the efficiency of CPAP therapy.
The first feature to check for should be the recording function. This function allows the device to maintain a record of values for the heart rate and oxygen saturation for a given period of time. This is useful when doing comparisons to determine changes in the two parameters. Such records can reveal the time of the night when apnea activities are happening. This is because the heart rate increases while oxygen saturation in blood drops when the activities are taking place.
Another factor to check is the accuracy of the device. Normally most devices allow a certain level of error in their readings. The error margin is normally highest in the low-end devices hence one should make the choice carefully. The margin should not exceed two percent. To determine the level of accuracy, one may have the heart rate and blood O2 saturation measured through other means and then the values compared to those of an oximeter.
One should also check for the kind of display the device uses and the details displayed. Low-end devices normally use the ordinary LED display and only display the two parameters the gadget is meant for without additional information. Better devices use better displays and also display pulse waveform, battery level indicator, menus, pulse meter, and perfusion index value in addition to the two parameters.
Setting of threshold heart rate and O2 saturation percentage values should be possible in the device chosen. All devices that allow setting of threshold values also have alarm systems. The alarms alert the user when the values rise or fall below the threshold. This way, serious conditions can be avoided by taking preventive measures. Low battery levels are also revealed by the alarms.
Like all electronics, oximeters should also have reasonable warranty periods. The normal warranty period is two years. If the warranty is less than two years, it is advisable to seek other options especially if the product costs high. This helps to avoid loses due to the mistakes of the manufacturer.
Oximeters that use rechargeable lithium ion batteries should not have been on the shelves for over a year at the time of purchase. This is because too much discharging in these kinds of batteries damages them. Choosing a product that can use both rechargeable and alkaline batteries is an added advantage.
First, there are many reasons why it is useful to use a pulse oximetry device. One of the reasons is the immediacy with which one can check their heart rate and blood oxygen concentration. This is important especially during exercise or to pilots because normal brain functioning may be affected by changes in altitude and air pressure in some people. Patients with sleep apnea should also wear the device when going to sleep to determine the efficiency of CPAP therapy.
The first feature to check for should be the recording function. This function allows the device to maintain a record of values for the heart rate and oxygen saturation for a given period of time. This is useful when doing comparisons to determine changes in the two parameters. Such records can reveal the time of the night when apnea activities are happening. This is because the heart rate increases while oxygen saturation in blood drops when the activities are taking place.
Another factor to check is the accuracy of the device. Normally most devices allow a certain level of error in their readings. The error margin is normally highest in the low-end devices hence one should make the choice carefully. The margin should not exceed two percent. To determine the level of accuracy, one may have the heart rate and blood O2 saturation measured through other means and then the values compared to those of an oximeter.
One should also check for the kind of display the device uses and the details displayed. Low-end devices normally use the ordinary LED display and only display the two parameters the gadget is meant for without additional information. Better devices use better displays and also display pulse waveform, battery level indicator, menus, pulse meter, and perfusion index value in addition to the two parameters.
Setting of threshold heart rate and O2 saturation percentage values should be possible in the device chosen. All devices that allow setting of threshold values also have alarm systems. The alarms alert the user when the values rise or fall below the threshold. This way, serious conditions can be avoided by taking preventive measures. Low battery levels are also revealed by the alarms.
Like all electronics, oximeters should also have reasonable warranty periods. The normal warranty period is two years. If the warranty is less than two years, it is advisable to seek other options especially if the product costs high. This helps to avoid loses due to the mistakes of the manufacturer.
Oximeters that use rechargeable lithium ion batteries should not have been on the shelves for over a year at the time of purchase. This is because too much discharging in these kinds of batteries damages them. Choosing a product that can use both rechargeable and alkaline batteries is an added advantage.
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