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 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 aspect of great importance is the accuracy of values measured and displayed. Most devices allow a given degree of error in their readings. Highest error margins appear more in cheap devices hence one should know. Regardless of the type of product, error margins should not exceed 2 percent. Other means can be used to confirm accuracy of a device.
One must also check the information shown and the kind of display it is displayed on. Normal LED displays are the commonest in low-end products. No other information besides heart beat and oxygen concentration are displayed by cheap devices. High quality commodities have superior displays that display extra information like menus, perfusion index value, battery level indicator, pulse waveform, and pulse meter apart from the 2 main 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.
When buying a product that utilizes rechargeable lithium ion battery, one must check to ensure that it has not been on the shelf for more than one year. This is because damages are caused to lithium ion batteries when the discharge process takes a long period. The best products to settle for are the ones that use both standard alkaline and rechargeable batteries.
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 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 aspect of great importance is the accuracy of values measured and displayed. Most devices allow a given degree of error in their readings. Highest error margins appear more in cheap devices hence one should know. Regardless of the type of product, error margins should not exceed 2 percent. Other means can be used to confirm accuracy of a device.
One must also check the information shown and the kind of display it is displayed on. Normal LED displays are the commonest in low-end products. No other information besides heart beat and oxygen concentration are displayed by cheap devices. High quality commodities have superior displays that display extra information like menus, perfusion index value, battery level indicator, pulse waveform, and pulse meter apart from the 2 main 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.
When buying a product that utilizes rechargeable lithium ion battery, one must check to ensure that it has not been on the shelf for more than one year. This is because damages are caused to lithium ion batteries when the discharge process takes a long period. The best products to settle for are the ones that use both standard alkaline and rechargeable batteries.
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