Buying Tips For 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, which raises sophistication in modern devices, one may need to know the exact features to look for in a device before buying. The information in this article is important for novice buyers. Generally, some of the factors to be considered include battery type, display, accuracy, warranty, size, comfort, wireless or Bluetooth capability, compatibility with other gadgets, and perfusion index among others.

Batteries normally come in 2 types, that is, alkaline and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Alkaline batteries come permanently fitted in the gadget and cannot be serviced. They are capable of lasting several years, but they eventually degrade and need to be replaced. When they start failing, they can cause a major degradation in performance and accuracy of the device. Some models may also not have replacements for the battery shortening their life span.

Rechargeable batteries are on the contrary cost effective because they last longer. Power is depleted as they are used and must be recharged. Most devices can still be used as they get charged. Recent technology allow some gadgets to be able to use both kinds of batteries. The user is therefore presented with more flexibility in terms of choice of power source. It is better to settle for such brands of devices than ones that are specific in the kind of battery they can use.

Devices that incorporate alarm systems have life-saving capability. The user can program the gadget to alert them when certain events take place. For example, the device notifies the user through an alarm when blood oxygen saturation or heartbeat rises or falls below a certain level. Such notifications are important to the health staff when a patient is under a life threatening medical condition.

The display is the interface through which the user is able to understand the values measured by the instrument. The display should be readable and clear enough to be seen without much trouble. Cheap models have standard LED displays, but the expensive models have better displays. The display should also be able to show other data such as battery level, perfusion index, pulse meter and waveform, and menus among others.

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.

Price depends on quality and features the device has. When choosing, one should avoid trading quality with cost. That can be risky in critical use. Getting a device with a high level of accuracy costs a lot.




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