Claims made by producers of pulse oximeters make it hard to select the right gadget. This is usually the case especially if one is ignorant about the important features a good gadget should have. The information in this article should be able to help potential buyers in picking the right CMS pulse oximeters. All important features are highlighted although further research can be done to have more knowledge.
A pulse oximetry gadget becomes useful in a wide range of circumstances and reasons. The immediacy of checking heart rate and blood oxygen concentration is one of the major reasons. Checking these two parameters is vital especially when one is exercising or when flying because the normal functioning of brain is affected in some people by changes in air pressure and altitude. Efficiency of CPAP therapy in patients with sleep apnea can also be determined by wearing the device at night when going to bed.
The recording function should be the first feature to check for. This function is responsible for maintenance of a list of values recorded over a specific period of time. Variations in measurements can be determined over time. By observing the record, one can tell the time when apnea activities take place during the night. This is because, during apnea activities, heart rates increase and oxygen concentration in blood drops.
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.
The gadget chosen should allow the user to set threshold values for the two parameters. Devices with this capability also incorporate alarm systems for alerting the user when the values of the two parameters go below or above the threshold. This way, preventive measures can be taken to avoid serious conditions if the patient under medical care. Alarms also warn when battery levels fall below a certain percentage.
The oximeter bought must have a warranty period. Warranties for these products are normally two years or more. When buying a high-end oximeter, avoid settling for those that the warranty does not exceed two years. Warranties provide protection against losses caused by the negligence of producers.
One should avoid purchasing products that use rechargeable lithium ion batteries yet have stayed on the shelves for more than a year at the instance of purchase. This is because lithium ion batteries get damaged when they discharge over a very long period. A better way would be to choose products in which both rechargeable and standard alkaline batteries can be used.
A pulse oximetry gadget becomes useful in a wide range of circumstances and reasons. The immediacy of checking heart rate and blood oxygen concentration is one of the major reasons. Checking these two parameters is vital especially when one is exercising or when flying because the normal functioning of brain is affected in some people by changes in air pressure and altitude. Efficiency of CPAP therapy in patients with sleep apnea can also be determined by wearing the device at night when going to bed.
The recording function should be the first feature to check for. This function is responsible for maintenance of a list of values recorded over a specific period of time. Variations in measurements can be determined over time. By observing the record, one can tell the time when apnea activities take place during the night. This is because, during apnea activities, heart rates increase and oxygen concentration in blood drops.
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.
The gadget chosen should allow the user to set threshold values for the two parameters. Devices with this capability also incorporate alarm systems for alerting the user when the values of the two parameters go below or above the threshold. This way, preventive measures can be taken to avoid serious conditions if the patient under medical care. Alarms also warn when battery levels fall below a certain percentage.
The oximeter bought must have a warranty period. Warranties for these products are normally two years or more. When buying a high-end oximeter, avoid settling for those that the warranty does not exceed two years. Warranties provide protection against losses caused by the negligence of producers.
One should avoid purchasing products that use rechargeable lithium ion batteries yet have stayed on the shelves for more than a year at the instance of purchase. This is because lithium ion batteries get damaged when they discharge over a very long period. A better way would be to choose products in which both rechargeable and standard alkaline batteries can be used.
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