We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Pulse Oximeter?

By P.S. Jones
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 10,328
Share

A pulse oximeter is a small electronic medical device that measures a patient’s blood oxygenation, or how much oxygen their blood carries. It is normally attached to the index finger with a plastic clip, but may also used on the foot and other body parts. It makes its measurements with the help of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Medical professionals use the information from the pulse oximeter to monitor how well oxygen is being delivered throughout the patient’s body.

The science behind the way the pulse oximeter works is based the properties of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein that transports oxygen in red blood cells. Oxygen is an essential requirement for human function and the human body can only survive a few minutes without oxygen. Oxygenated hemoglobin (or oxyhemoglobin) and nonoxygenated hemoglobin (or deoxyhemoglobin) are different colors.

On one side, a pulse oximeter has two LED lights on it, one that sends out invisible infrared light and another that sends out red light. The other side of the device has a receptor to measure how much of each light passes through. The difference between how much of each light is detected is used to measure how much of the patient’s blood is oxygenated. The light must also pass through skin and bone, as the patient’s finger will engorge with blood on every pulse beat.

Pulse oximeters are minimally invasive, and do not require the skin to be broken. The device is painless, and is recommended for use with weak patients, such as premature babies. They are especially helpful in situations where oxygen flow needs be monitored, but simplicity and speed are also required. Emergency room and intensive care unit medical professionals particularly find pulse oximeters helpful when monitoring their patients. It can also be useful in diagnosing sleep disorders like apnea by indicating if the patient has stopped breathing in their sleep.

The device does have its limitations. While a pulse oximeter can measure the amount of blood in the oxygen, it cannot determine how the body is metabolizing that oxygen. For example, a patient’s blood may be full of oxygen but poor blood flow would still prevent this oxygen from being used by the organs. A pulse oximeter’s readings can also be inaccurate due an increase carbon monoxide in that patient’s blood. Newer models, however, are being equipped with a feature to prevent this problem.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-pulse-oximeter.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.