What To Consider When Buying A Recording Pulse Oximeter

By Deanne Shepard


The importance of pulse oximetry has made it a requirement for some people to carry oximeters wherever the go. Recording pulse oximeter is among oximetry devices in use today. It measures heart rate and blood oxygen concentration as the two major aspects. It can also store data recorded over time in memory making it necessary to include the word recording in the name. Normally data is backed up on computers with supporting software.

With advancing technology sophistication of modern devices is very high making it necessary to have some knowledge about them before setting out to buy one. Novice buyers can find the information in this writing useful. Generally, battery type, size, comfort, display, wireless or Bluetooth capability, accuracy, compatibility with other gadgets, perfusion index, and warranty are some of the factors to consider when buying an oximeter.

Alkaline and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are the 2 types of batteries in these devices. Alkaline batteries cannot be serviced because they come already fixed in the oximeter. They can last many years, but they must be replaced when they eventually degrade. The affect the accuracy and performance of the device greatly once they start failing. The life of some models is also limited due to lack of replacement batteries.

Rechargeable batteries on the other hand are very durable and cost effective over time. They only need to be recharged when they discharge. Charging can be done even when the instrument is in use making the batteries even more convenient. There are however some models of oximeters, which can use both alkaline and rechargeable batteries. Going for such models can offer an added advantage.

There is life-saving capability in products that have alarm systems. Alarms are set by the user to ring upon the occurrence of certain events. For example, when heart rate or blood O2 concentration goes above or below a specific level, the device through the alarm system, notifies the user. The health staff can therefore react fast enough to such occurrences if the patient is under a comma or sedatives.

All values recorded by the gadget are presented to the user through the display interface. The display chosen should be clear and readable with minimum effort. Expensive models normally have superior displays as opposed to LED displays in cheap models. Additional data like battery level, pulse meter and waveform, menus, and perfusion index should also be displayed.

Devices that have Bluetooth and/or wireless capability automatically download recorded data on computers. Users can set the downloads to occur at preferred intervals. This allows for backing up of data to be used later. This capability benefits health workers and patients because patients do not have to be disturbed to take readings.

The features and quality of a product dictate its price. Quality should not be overlooked for cost when buying and oximeter. That is because poor quality can cause problems in sensitive cases. It should be known that high accuracy devices cost a lot.




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