Just In
- 4 hrs ago Heeramandi Screening: Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Rashmika Mandanna And Others Serve Finest Ethnic Style!
- 4 hrs ago From Alia Bhatt To Kriti Sanon, Korean Beauty Products That Bollywood Divas Swear By
- 7 hrs ago Exclusive: On World Malaria Day 2024, Dr Shares Danger Signs Parents Must Watch Out For In Child With Malaria
- 8 hrs ago Exclusive: Expert Debunks 5 Common Misconceptions About Expectant Mothers That You Need To Steer Clear From
Don't Miss
- News Kharge's Sharp Retort To PM Modi: Correcting Misinformation On Congress Manifesto 2024
- Finance Multibagger Energy Stock To Reward Shareholders With 3 Bonus Shares, Hits 52-Week High
- Movies Main Hoon Saath Tere Launch Date, Cast: From Real To Reel, Karan Vohra Shares His Fatherhood Journey
- Automobiles Royal Enfield Unveils Revolutionary Rentals & Tours Service: Check Out All Details Here
- Sports Kavya Maran: All You Need To Know - Personal Life, Net Worth, Educational Background And Others
- Technology Elon Musk’s X Is Launching a TV App Similar to YouTube for Watching Videos
- Education AICTE introduces career portal for 3 million students, offering fully-sponsored trip to Silicon Valley
- Travel Escape to Kalimpong, Gangtok, and Darjeeling with IRCTC's Tour Package; Check Itinerary
What Is Pulse Oximeter? Here's How To Use It To Check Your Pulse And Oxygen Levels
As of today, the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India is 2.98 million with 2.22 million recovered cases and 55794 deaths. It's been months the world is fighting the COVID-19 infection. Numerous medicines and equipment have been developed until now to combat the infection and many vaccine candidates are under clinical trials.
Among all the useful tools developed, a pulse oximeter is also making news due to its simple and effective property. Take a look at its importance and uses to combat COVID-19.
COVID-19 Diagnostic Methods And Tools: What You Should Know
What Is Pulse Oximeter?
A pulse oximeter (PO) is a small and lightweight tool which is used to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. The procedure does not require any needling and can be carried out painlessly simple by attaching the device to the body part.
The oxygen level measured by the device is known as the oxygen saturation level. The device is especially benefitted to women who are pregnant, young infants and to those who have respiratory, heart conditions or infections. [1]
Why Is It Used?
Every part of human body needs oxygen to survive. Deficiency of oxygen in the body leads to malfunction of body organs and death. The lungs are responsible to filter oxygen while the heart helps in distributing them throughout the body via bloodstream. A protein named haemoglobin found in the red blood cells is involved in carrying and transporting the oxygen.
The PO measures the amount of oxygen in these proteins and says about the functioning of the body parts. The normal oxygen saturation level should be around 95-100 per cent. Less than 90 per cent is considered abnormal and requires immediate medical attention.
Know About Field-Effect Transistor-Based Biosensor (FETBB) Which Detects Coronavirus Within Minutes
Who Needs Pulse Oximeter?
Individuals with conditions such as COPD, pneumonia, asthma, heart failure, lung cancer or anaemia usually need pulse oximeter. Other common uses of PO include: [2]
- Monitoring of oxygen level after a surgery
- Effectiveness of an oxygen therapy
- Effectiveness of a lung medicine
- Effectiveness of a ventilator on a patient
- To find out if a person needs breathing equipment
- To monitor cases like sleep apnea
How Does It Work?
PO is like a small clip which is attached to finger, foot, earlobe, wrist or other body parts to measure oxygen level. From one side of the clip, light comes out while on other side, sensor is attached for reading. [3]
The light passes through the blood and measure the oxygen saturation level by using a complex equation. The amount of light absorbed in both oxygenated and deoxygenated blood is used as a value.
How Does It Help In The Treatment Of COVID-19?
According to the WHO, CDC and other medical researchers, the primary symptoms of COVID-19 include shortness of breath and pneumonia. As PO helps in identifying the oxygen levels, the device can monitor the exact oxygen rate in the lungs, and accordingly help medical experts to give a proper treatment to the patients.
In a pilot study, it was found out that pulse oximeter has been helpful in the early self-proning of patients who have been admitted to the emergency department. The device has helped in identifying patients who needed oxygen supply followed by determining their severity and giving them the required ventilation or treatment. [4]
The device also helps in diagnosing the lung condition in COVID-19 positive patients.
To Conclude
Pulse oximeter is a low-cost electronic device with highly accurate reading. The device is widely used in healthcare sectors. PO has been helpful in treating many COVID-19 patients efficiently. Medical experts suggest that the device should not be used at home as it may give false reading when not inserted properly under the medical supervision.
- disorders cureIndia May See A Covid Surge In January, Next 40 Days Crucial; Here Is How To Protect Yourself From COVID-19
- disorders cureCOVID Can Trigger Parkinson's Disease: Study
- disorders cureCommon COVID Symptoms In Fully Vaccinated Individuals: What You Should Know
- wellnessMild COVID Linked To Life-Threatening Blood Clots, Increased Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease; Study
- wellnessCOVID-19 Variants In India: New COVID Variant May Pose Threat To Elderly People
- basicsCovid-19 Linked To Early Onset Of Periods: What You Need To Know
- wellnessCOVID XBB Variants Of Omicron In India: What You Should Know
- disorders cureNew Omicron Subvariant BQ.1 Detected In Maharashtra: What You Should Know
- disorders cureOmicron BF.7 In India, Risk Of Fresh Wave During Diwali: What You Should Know
- womenPriyanka Chopra Speaks On Climate Change, COVID, Poverty At The UN Sustainable Development Goals 2022 Moment
- wellnessCoronavirus Residues Might Be Causing Long COVID: New Study
- art cultureRenowned Spanish Author Javier Marias Passes Away Due To Lung Infection Post COVID-19