Features Of Good CMS Pulse Oximeters

By Annabelle Holman


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.

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 first feature to check for should be the recording function. This function allows the device to maintain a record of values for the heart rate and oxygen saturation for a given period of time. This is useful when doing comparisons to determine changes in the two parameters. Such records can reveal the time of the night when apnea activities are happening. This is because the heart rate increases while oxygen saturation in blood drops when the activities are taking place.

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 should also check for the kind of display the device uses and the details displayed. Low-end devices normally use the ordinary LED display and only display the two parameters the gadget is meant for without additional information. Better devices use better displays and also display pulse waveform, battery level indicator, menus, pulse meter, and perfusion index value in addition to 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.

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.

Oximeters that use rechargeable lithium ion batteries should not have been on the shelves for over a year at the time of purchase. This is because too much discharging in these kinds of batteries damages them. Choosing a product that can use both rechargeable and alkaline batteries is an added advantage.




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