Why Do You Need Oxygen Monitor With CPAP Therapy 

When you were diagnosed with sleep apnea, you had your sleep study. As you know, they kept track of your blood oxygen level, but they also measured many other values: pulse, blood pressure, number of apneic episodes per minute, amount of REM sleep, etc. The purpose of the CPAP machine is to overcome the obstruction caused by your airways and allow you to keep breathing at a regular rate throughout the night.

Since CPAP therapy should directly affect your oxygen intake, you need a way to monitor your blood oxygen levels. Here’s why you should pair your machine with an oxygen monitor. 

What is a Pulse Oximeter/Oxygen Monitor? 

Firstly, let’s describe a pulse oximeter and how it functions.  A pulse oximeter, most often worn on the fingertip, is a medical device that measures oxygen saturation levels in a person’s blood.  In other words, it measures the amount of oxygen present in the bloodstream.  It is typically for people who have the potential for unstable blood oxygen levels like those that are already in intensive care units and emergency rooms.  The finger pulse oximeter uses red and infrared light to measure the oxygenation in the fingertips. 

How is this possible? Because Hemoglobin (the part of the blood that transports oxygen) absorbs different amounts of light depending upon how much oxygen it is transporting. 

PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED

Why is Blood Oxygen Level Important? 

Low blood oxygen levels are harmful for many reasons.  But let us consider how blood oxygen relates to sleep apnea and CPAP therapy.  Low oxygen levels certainly may indicate a serious health problem.  People with sleep apnea or an underlying lung disease such as asthma or COPD, sometimes have blood oxygen that drops to unhealthy or even fatal levels.  When people suffer from sleep apnea, their airways close and oxygen does not flow to the brain and bloodstream.  Oxygen levels then fall, triggering the brain to arouse the body.  Although this happens subconsciously, the body continually awakens negating the positive benefits of deep and restful sleep.  This vicious cycle is the typical symptom of sleep apnea.  A pulse oximeter can read oxygen levels to help to confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea. 

Using a Pulse Oximeter with CPAP 

Once you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are using your CPAP/APAP/BPAP machine, it is important to confirm you are receiving the full benefits of the therapy.  Of course, the reason behind using a PAP machine is to maintain the integrity of your airways in order to breathe normally and deliver oxygen to the bloodstream. 

A pulse oximeter can supplement any software available with your PAP machine by measuring this important gauge of the effectiveness of your treatment.  Simply attach the pulse oximeter to your fingertip and let it record your blood oxygen levels.  There are, of course, nuances that need to be users need to understand when reading the results such as how much time they spend at certain low levels.  But overall, it will give you a barometer for keeping CPAP therapy as is or speaking to your doctor about optimizing.

Many CPAP users are interested in using pulse oximeters as part of their ongoing CPAP therapy. 

How to choose the best oximeter to help with PAP treatment? 

Data from a pulse oximeter can be used to check two important pieces of information – heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation percentage. In sleep apnea patients, the heart rate generally increases and the blood oxygen saturation level generally decreases during apnea events. A pulse oximeter with recording capability worn during sleep can help a CPAP user know if their CPAP therapy is effective. Unfortunately, even the most advanced CPAP machines do not record this type of information.

Here we’re going to summarize the features you should look for in a pulse oximeter, so you can make an even more informed purchasing decision.

Long-Term Recording vs. Spot Checking 

This is the biggest difference you’ll find in pulse oximeters. A recording pulse oximeter allows the user to wear the device for hours at a time, and then look at the recorded data later. If you have sleep apnea and if you want to see what’s going on at night when you sleep, then you’ll need to select a model that has recording capability. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a device for periodic spot checking only, then either type of oximeter would be suitable. 

Alarms 

The pulse oximeters with recording capability have built-in alarms that allow the user to set thresholds at which the alarms will sound. In addition, these devices also have a low battery alarm. Alarms can be useful in many activities to let you know that you’ve exceeded your desired heart rate, or that your blood oxygen level has fallen below a pre-determined level. 

Comfort Wearing 

Almost all fingertip oximeters will feel pretty much the same when applied to a finger. The clamp-like alligator clip design is ubiquitous. Many people need to switch fingers after a couple of hours. A more comfortable option is the wearable Pulse Oximeter. They are usually designed in a ring or wrist-wearing shape to fit the user’s fingers and wrist. Not easy to slip during night-wearing, in addition, the silicone material also ensures long-term comfort. 

Perfusion Index 

The perfusion index is a relative value that indicates the strength of the pulse at the sensor site. The perfusion index is commonly used to help identify appropriate sensor application sites. This means that you can use the perfusion index to determine where you’re getting a good reading. You can move the oximeter from one finger to another to see if there is a difference in the perfusion index. It’s a good idea to place the oximeter where the perfusion index is highest. The perfusion index can also help to identify any anomalous readings during recording. If you see data that looks inaccurate it could be due to temporary incorrect positioning of the sensor on the finger. A low perfusion index value corresponding to the “bad” or “artifact” data can help you determine the true nature of the data. 

PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED

© Wellue Health

This email was sent to krazypromo because you've subscribed on our site or made a purchase.

Edit preferences | Unsubscribe