How is normal oxygen saturation determined?

normal oxygen saturation can be determined by a device called a pulse oximeter that has been developed to measure oxygen levels in the patient's blood. The small machine is attached to the end of the finger or ears, into which it sends different colors of light and then measures the amount of light returned. When measuring in a pediatric patient, a pulse oximeter could be adequate. It then determines the level of oxygen saturation in the blood and appears on a small screen. If the displayed value is between 96 and 100%, the patient is reportedly normal. Reads below 86% indicate significant hypoxia and values ​​below 85% indicate severe hypoxia. Some oximeters use different wavelengths of light that allows them to measure the level of carbon monoxide in the blood except the oxygen level.

Determination of normal oxygen saturation may be part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of medical intervention, but health care providers cannot always rely on the values ​​of pulse oximeters for accurate oxygen saturation in the patient. Among situations in which device cannot be trustVat, belongs to patients suffering from hypoperfusion, more often known as shock and victims of hypothermia or reduced body temperature by exposing cold, because not enough blood flows through capillaries to get real reading. Carbon monoxide poisoning also causes values ​​that are higher than actual oxygen saturation.

People who smoke have carbon monoxide poisoning, so normal oxygen saturation may not be determined by a pulse oxymeter in evaluation or treatment. Excess movement and the presence of nail nail polish can also prevent the urats. The most accurate method of measuring oxygen saturation in the patient, says many health care providers, is the assessment of the physical symptoms of hypoxia: cyanosis - bluish lips, nail beds and fingers - and cool, connecting skin. When these characters are visible, oxygen levels are probably low.