How to use the SpO2 . meter

SpO2 is now considered the fifth vital sign, indicating the oxygen status in the blood. Measuring SpO2 with a finger clamp SpO2 meter is quite simple, but it is also important to pay attention to how to use it to avoid errors during the implementation. Knowing how to measure SpO2 correctly and closely monitoring blood oxygen levels will help to promptly manage events and increase the patient's chances of survival.

Besides pulse, temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, SpO2 index is currently considered as the 5th vital sign. SpO2 - Saturation of peripheral oxygen - is an indicator showing the saturation of oxygen in peripheral blood. Measuring SpO2 through the skin can be easily done with a type of device called a handheld SpO2 meter, with the probe clipped to the finger, toe, or earlobe.
Non-invasive, painless finger clip SpO2 meter, works on the principle of pulse measurements. That is, when the SpO2 meter is clamped to the tip of a finger or toe, the meter's touch probe emits infrared light that penetrates tissue with many small capillaries. Red blood cells present in the capillaries absorb some of the infrared light. From the remaining amount of unabsorbed light, the finger clip SpO2 meter calculates the number of oxygenated red blood cells, which represents the percentage of oxygen saturation in the capillary blood.
Handheld SpO2 meter is a device that is both compact and measures heart rate combined with blood oxygen saturation through the skin tip. Measuring SpO2 is a safe and effective way to monitor health, helping to detect oxygen deficiency in the blood early even when the body is still normal

In adults, based on the SpO2 index, the severity can be assessed as follows:
SpO2 from 97 to 99%: Normal blood oxygen saturation. SpO2 from 94 to 96%: The oxygen saturation in the blood is at an average level, depending on the specific medical case, the doctor can assign the patient to support oxygen breathing or not. SpO2 from 90-93%: Blood oxygen saturation is low, there are signs of respiratory failure, need to give the patient oxygen support and need to coordinate with a respiratory specialist or a resuscitation specialist. emergency. SpO2 < 90%: This is indicative of a clinical emergency. If the patient is on oxygen support but SpO2 < 95%, oxygen level should be upgraded and closely monitored. For newborns, SpO2 index > 94% is considered a safe level. If the SpO2 index < 90%, it is necessary to notify the doctor immediately for timely intervention and treatment.

Hand-held SpO2 meter helps to detect hypoxia in the blood, used in people with acute and chronic diseases. In particular, for diseases that cause hypoxia in the blood such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, sleep apnea syndrome and SARS - CoV 2 virus infection. For people infected with SARS virus - CoV 2 , SpO2 index helps to assess the severity of respiratory failure and monitor the response to treatment with oxygen, thereby adjusting the amount of oxygen as well as the method of oxygen support to suit the patient's condition. .
Measuring SpO2 with a finger clamp SpO2 meter is quite simple, but it is also important to note how to use it to avoid errors during the implementation. Knowing how to measure SpO2 correctly and closely monitoring blood oxygen levels will help to promptly manage events and increase the patient's chances of survival.
Currently there are many types of machines to measure the oxygen concentration in the blood. Newer devices are also integrated with modern technology, displaying more information, but in general a handheld SpO2 meter will always display two basic parameters: SpO2 index - oxygen saturation Peripheral blood is expressed as a percentage and pulse rate (PR) in beats/min.
How to measure SpO2 will follow these steps:
Step 1: Check the general condition of the device: whether the battery is still or not, when pressing the button to turn on the device, it emits infrared light, the screen is bright and displayed zero. If the device runs out of battery, it must be replaced with a new battery or charged, depending on the structure of each machine. Step 2: Open the clamp of the meter, then put a finger into the clamp slot so that the tip of the finger reaches the end of the meter (can be clamped and chewed on the ear or toe). Step 3: Start the device by pressing the power button. When the meter needs to sit still, limit hand movements. After a few seconds, the measurement result will be displayed on the display. Step 4: After the measurement is complete, just pull your finger out of the device and the device will automatically turn off after a short time (about a few seconds to 1 minute) or you can save the measured index to the machine for monitoring, depending on your needs. directed by Doctor.

4.1 Pulse rate Indicator Displayed as a number at the place of the PR (pulse rate) or a heart-shaped position. Measurement unit: beats/minute. Measuring range: from 0 - 254 beats/min. Normal value: from 60 to 90 beats/min (for adult patients, at rest). 4.2 SpO2 Index Displayed as a percentage at the spot where SpO2 is written. Unit of measure: percent (%). Measuring range: from 0 to 100%. Normal value: 98% - 100%. The error of usually ranges from ± 2%.

If the SpO2 readings drop, the patient may have the following symptoms:
Coughing Sweating Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, accessory respiratory muscle contractions or wheezing Skin color change Heart rate may be slow or faster than usual Memory loss, confusion Struggling, agitated, agitated

Portable SpO2 meters do not always accurately reflect peripheral blood oxygen saturation. Measuring SpO2 also depends on many factors such as:
Patient has a lot of movement, continuously Patient has hypothermia, low blood pressure Measured in a place with direct light Patient applies cosmetics, nail polish , using artificial nails or nails that are too long (the sensor in the clip does not cover the fingertips) Patients with a medical condition that causes abnormal hemoglobin levels in the blood (anemia, hematologic disease) Use drugs that cause severe blood vessel constriction Patient goes into shock (hypovolemic shock, ...) causing tissue hypoperfusion Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning or methemoglobin poisoning Here is important information It is important to know how to use the SpO2 measuring device, careful reference will help in the correct use process and achieve better results.