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.
The accuracy of values displayed by the device is also of great importance. Normally a certain error level is allowed in most readings. Low-end devices have the highest error margins hence caution should be exercised when buying them. Whatever the case an error margin of two percent should not be exceeded. Accuracy can be determined by comparing values from the gadget and those measured through other means.
The display and the kind of information displayed should also be checked. In low-end models, the primary display is the normal LED display. Low-end display does not show any other information besides the two major parameters the device measures. Better displays are used in better brands and parameters like battery level indicator, menus, perfusion index value, pulse meter, and pulse waveform are also displayed besides 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.
A reasonable warranty period should accompany the oximeter purchased. Warranties normally last at least two years for these products. One should seek other options if the warranty does not run for at least two years especially in the high-end models. This protects the buyer from the negligence 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.
The accuracy of values displayed by the device is also of great importance. Normally a certain error level is allowed in most readings. Low-end devices have the highest error margins hence caution should be exercised when buying them. Whatever the case an error margin of two percent should not be exceeded. Accuracy can be determined by comparing values from the gadget and those measured through other means.
The display and the kind of information displayed should also be checked. In low-end models, the primary display is the normal LED display. Low-end display does not show any other information besides the two major parameters the device measures. Better displays are used in better brands and parameters like battery level indicator, menus, perfusion index value, pulse meter, and pulse waveform are also displayed besides 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.
A reasonable warranty period should accompany the oximeter purchased. Warranties normally last at least two years for these products. One should seek other options if the warranty does not run for at least two years especially in the high-end models. This protects the buyer from the negligence 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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