What is the purpose of using a pulse oximeter?

The purpose of using a pulse oximeter is to determine blood oxygen saturation. Pulse oximeters measure the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is saturated with oxygen, providing a non-invasive way to assess how effectively oxygen is being delivered to the body's tissues.

This is particularly important in various clinical settings, as it allows healthcare providers to quickly evaluate a patient's respiratory status and detect hypoxemia, which is a lower-than-normal level of oxygen in the blood. The device works by passing light through the skin, usually on a fingertip or earlobe, and measuring changes in light absorption by oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.

Monitoring blood oxygen levels is crucial for patients with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, as it can guide treatment decisions and interventions. While measures like heart rate and respiratory rate are important vital signs and can be monitored using separate devices, they do not provide information on oxygen saturation, which is why the pulse oximeter is specifically designed for that purpose.