Factors To Consider When Choosing Wrist Pulse Oximeters

By Rosella Campbell


Traditionally, technology was not as pronounced as it is right now. It was somehow cumbersome to examine certain vital body and fluid measurements. One such measurement is oxygen saturation and simply denotes how the blood is oxygenated. This process was done traditionally in an invase way by drawing some samples of blood. As such, the clinical officers had a problem of getting real time measurements. There was thus a dire need for a non-invasive way of determining the level of saturation, which paved way for the development of the technique employed in wrist pulse oximeters.

The development has been highly appreciated, especially in the medical field and surgical operations. The clinic workers used it to carry out examinations concerning patients who are sedated and even unconscious. It is also crucial in managing patients with problems in controlling their supply of oxygen. Their scope of application extends to homes and operating rooms.

In the medical field, the equipment comes handy to patients with asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory conditions including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The same tool is applied by those individuals working and exercising from high altitudes such as pilots and even mountain climbers. It helps the especially in guarding against a condition known as hypoxia. This also explains why some athletes carry them on their person while training, particularly in the high altitudes. It is found to increase increases their endurance and enhance their training.

The equipment offers a broad spectrum of advantages, particularly from its physical appearance. Concerning the size, it is uniquely small for mobility purposes. The device can safely and conveniently be worn on your wrist without causing any inconveniences. They have an internal source of energy, making them free from extensions that could otherwise limit their portability.

In addition, they are simplified and rather convenient to operate. In order to make use of oximeters, one does not require specialized skill, experience and technical know-how. Despite this, the process of data transfer is somehow knowledge intensive and thus requires some technical know-how. However, drawing readings from such instruments is quite easy. Be sure to enjoy their robust display, which simplifies and eases the viewing of pulse rates and oxyhaemoglobin saturation .

It is economical to use wrist Oximeters compared to the handheld and other types. This is due their low prices and close availability. Also, the use of wrist meters is not confined to a particular group of people, but rather embraced widely and by all age groups. The only factor that determines which particular meter to use is the size of the wrist.

The readings from the instrument can also be stored. It has a memory that offers data storage and facilitates programming for particular readings within specified set time frames. The equipment also offers data storage. They are capable of keeping data and being programmed to provide readings within set time frames to facilitate for the reading of saturation levels. They can also be fitted with some software and connected to a computer for generation of reports.

However, just like any other machine, it has its own setbacks. The only shortcoming is that they cannot be used in such avenues as sleep screening due to absence of alarms. It is even more inappropriate to employ them in spot checking as a main function. Though they support sport checking, they are not the most ideal when spot checking is actually the main function.




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