For most patients, a pulse oximeter is a familiar device from visits to the doctor's office. Placed on a finger or a patient's ear lobe, pulse oximeters are an easy way to quickly get a measure of someone's oxygen saturation (SpO2), which should generally be above 90 percent.
Non-white ICU patients get less oxygen treatment than needed -study gazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A flaw in a widely used medical device that measures oxygen levels causes critically ill Asians, Blacks and Hispanics to receive less supplemental oxygen to help them breathe than white patients, according to data from a large study published on Monday.
These devices measure blood oxygen levels and can help identify when patients are dangerously ill. But research shows they can deliver misleading results for people with darker skin.
When it comes to darker skin, pulse oximeters fall short usf.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from usf.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.