Pulse Oximeter with LED display

Two options available

Case - to protect it and keep it clean. Batteries not included.

Box - comes with a wrist strap. Batteries not included.

Instructions

Just pop it on your finger and press the button and the results will be shown on the screen. This will give indication of how well the heart and lungs are performing. Any irregularities – call your doctor at once. 

It is Not a ‘stand alone’ device – but may  be used as a possible indicator of problems which are then to be discussed with your physician.

Oxygenated and unoxygenated blood absorb light differently  by analysing the pattern of light that hits the sensor in the oximeter, it can estimate the amount of oxygen in the blood. The figure is displayed. A level of 95 per cent and above is normal for a healthy person at rest. However with lung /breathing diseases levels are often lower.

If oxygen saturation drops by 2 or 3 per cent call the GP, medication may be readjusted or further steps taken etc.

One medical Doctor suggests that when patients first get a pulse oximeter, they should take a reading to learn what a ‘normal’ level is for them. To test the authenticity of the readings get someone else to test their readings. Count the patient’s pulse manually and confirm the heart rate on the oximeter is within 4-5 beats per minute. Oxygen saturation should be somewhere between 95 and 100 percent and the pulse rate between 60 and 100.

Its very important to not put full trust in readings that can be affected by certain conditions listed further below so if you get short of breath, have chest pain, become confused, dizzy, sleepy or the lips go blue seek help even if the oxygen levels seem OK..

How a pulse oximeter works;

A pulse oximeter measures how much light is absorbed by your blood. This indicates how much oxygen the blood contains.

For a healthy person the normal blood oxygen saturation level will be approx. 95–100%.

Values under 90 percent are considered low.

Poor circulation. Cold fingers or hypothermia, Anaemia, low blood pressure can cause false low readings. Lung/breathing disease, chemotherapy, even colds and flu can adversely affect oxygen saturation and should be treated.  

Make sure the patient has been resting for at least five minutes prior to measurement. Warm the hands if the signal is poor. The hand should be on a flat table not raised up above the heart. The reading takes time to stabilise. The oximeter should be in place for at least a minute, or longer if the reading is not stable.

• Movements even shivering/shaking or  poor placement can affect the reading.
• Nail varnish can present inaccurate readings. Bright light ie fluorescent lights can interfere with readings.
• Carbon Monoxide can affect haemoglobin even more than oxygen so Carbon Monoxide poisoning may display high readings because the device interprets haemoglobin to be saturated with oxygen when it is Carbon Monoxide it is actually saturated by. It is possible that smaller amounts of Carbon Monoxide  – not poisoning levels - may affect readings also. Carbon monoxide levels may be high after exposure to fires, leaking gas appliances and even cigarette smoking. 

To an extent the blood oxygen level and  pulse rate are linked  but there are variations; a baby, young adult or even an elderly person in good health could  all have a blood oxygen level of 94 or over yet the baby’s pulse can be as much as 115 beats per minute while the others may average out at 60 to 72 beats per minute. Taking into account life style, diet etc the variations in pulse rate may be extreme. People who run in marathons can have their pulse rate at 60 beats per minute and less yet keep their  blood oxygen level 97% or higher.

If your Oximeter is to be used by several people in a short period of time and infection is a possibility please wipe the device with an alcohol wipe between usage.

An instruction leaflet is included for more details.