There are currently many manufacturers of pulse oximeters worldwide today with each claiming to manufacture the best. The many products on the market have made it continuously difficult for buyers to choose the right product. This is so especially if one does not know what to look for in the device. This article provides useful information about the features of CMS pulse oximeters one should look for when buying.
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.
One should buy a product in which it is possible to set the threshold values for heart rate and O2 saturation percentage. Such capabilities also call for incorporation of an alarm system. Whenever the values fall below or rise above the threshold values, the user in alerted by the alarm. This way, the patient can be prevented from going into serious conditions like commas through taking of preventive measures. The alarms also indicate low battery levels.
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.
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.
One should buy a product in which it is possible to set the threshold values for heart rate and O2 saturation percentage. Such capabilities also call for incorporation of an alarm system. Whenever the values fall below or rise above the threshold values, the user in alerted by the alarm. This way, the patient can be prevented from going into serious conditions like commas through taking of preventive measures. The alarms also indicate low battery levels.
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.
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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