CMS pulse oximeters are medical gadgets that help medical professionals determine, somewhat indirectly, if a patient is getting enough oxygen. The devices clip onto the finger, the earlobes or, in infants, a foot. What they actually measure is the amount of hemoglobin that is fully loaded up with oxygen. In most people, this figure should be at least 95% or more.
The physical principles of how a pulse oximeter works are beyond the scope of this article. It is based on the absorbance of light. By shining light of two different wavelengths into the skin, the instrument can calculate the light absorbance, and hence the concentration of O2 in blood that is circulating in the arteries.
While this technology can reveal the oxygen saturation of a person's hemoglobin, it is at best an indirect means of finding out how much actual oxygen is circulating in the bloodstream. To measure this directly, it is necessary to sample the blood passing through the arteries in real time. This involves placing a needle into an artery.
They need a good reason to measure arterial oxygen levels because placing the needle into an artery is very painful to the patient. This is fine if the person is unconscious, as if they were under an anesthetic or unconscious. If they are awake and aware, it feels like someone is plunging a needle directly into bone.
Pulse oximeters are used a lot in research. Oxygen saturation is one of the parameters that is measured as part of sleeping studies that are investigating whether an individual suffers from sleep apnea, a condition where they stop breathing for brief periods during the night. This is a potentially fatal condition because it can lead to heart attack or stroke. At the very least, it makes people sleepy and unproductive the next morning.
There are two basic forms of sleep apnea; neurological (or central) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Of these, OSA is the more common and the easiest to treat. Some people need surgery to correct an anatomical abnormality, while others are easier to treat with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or wearing an oral device, prescribed by an oral surgeon, while thy sleep.
The other kind of sleep apnea, neurological or central sleep apnea, is rarer and more serious than OSA. Rather than being unable to breathe, your brain doesn't bother to try. This is usually associated with a serious underlying condition affecting the brain stem, which is the part of the brain that controls breathing. Central sleep apnea may manifest itself alone or alongside OSA.
The biggest risk factors for sleep apnea are being overweight, male gender or being over the age of 40. However, sleep apnea can happen to anybody. Some small babies can stop breathing for as long as 20 seconds, which is very disturbing for already anxious new parents. If a baby is discovered to be at risk for this condition, the parents can obtain an alarm that will alert them if and when this happens. CMS pulse oximeters are also available for use at home.
The physical principles of how a pulse oximeter works are beyond the scope of this article. It is based on the absorbance of light. By shining light of two different wavelengths into the skin, the instrument can calculate the light absorbance, and hence the concentration of O2 in blood that is circulating in the arteries.
While this technology can reveal the oxygen saturation of a person's hemoglobin, it is at best an indirect means of finding out how much actual oxygen is circulating in the bloodstream. To measure this directly, it is necessary to sample the blood passing through the arteries in real time. This involves placing a needle into an artery.
They need a good reason to measure arterial oxygen levels because placing the needle into an artery is very painful to the patient. This is fine if the person is unconscious, as if they were under an anesthetic or unconscious. If they are awake and aware, it feels like someone is plunging a needle directly into bone.
Pulse oximeters are used a lot in research. Oxygen saturation is one of the parameters that is measured as part of sleeping studies that are investigating whether an individual suffers from sleep apnea, a condition where they stop breathing for brief periods during the night. This is a potentially fatal condition because it can lead to heart attack or stroke. At the very least, it makes people sleepy and unproductive the next morning.
There are two basic forms of sleep apnea; neurological (or central) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Of these, OSA is the more common and the easiest to treat. Some people need surgery to correct an anatomical abnormality, while others are easier to treat with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or wearing an oral device, prescribed by an oral surgeon, while thy sleep.
The other kind of sleep apnea, neurological or central sleep apnea, is rarer and more serious than OSA. Rather than being unable to breathe, your brain doesn't bother to try. This is usually associated with a serious underlying condition affecting the brain stem, which is the part of the brain that controls breathing. Central sleep apnea may manifest itself alone or alongside OSA.
The biggest risk factors for sleep apnea are being overweight, male gender or being over the age of 40. However, sleep apnea can happen to anybody. Some small babies can stop breathing for as long as 20 seconds, which is very disturbing for already anxious new parents. If a baby is discovered to be at risk for this condition, the parents can obtain an alarm that will alert them if and when this happens. CMS pulse oximeters are also available for use at home.
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