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dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:07 PM Apr 2020

This article may save your life...

It's about how the virus kills thru silent pneumonia, which victims do not recognize in time, and how to notice it.


"........Patients compensate for the low oxygen in their blood by breathing faster and deeper — and this happens without their realizing it. This silent hypoxia, and the patient’s physiological response to it, causes even more inflammation and more air sacs to collapse, and the pneumonia worsens until oxygen levels plummet. In effect, patients are injuring their own lungs by breathing harder and harder. Twenty percent of Covid pneumonia patients then go on to a second and deadlier phase of lung injury. Fluid builds up and the lungs become stiff, carbon dioxide rises, and patients develop acute respiratory failure.

By the time patients have noticeable trouble breathing and present to the hospital with dangerously low oxygen levels, many will ultimately require a ventilator.

Silent hypoxia progressing rapidly to respiratory failure explains cases of Covid-19 patients dying suddenly after not feeling short of breath. (It appears that most Covid-19 patients experience relatively mild symptoms and get over the illness in a week or two without treatment.)



There is a way we could identify more patients who have Covid pneumonia sooner and treat them more effectively — and it would not require waiting for a coronavirus test at a hospital or doctor’s office. It requires detecting silent hypoxia early through a common medical device that can be purchased without a prescription at most pharmacies: a pulse oximeter.

Pulse oximetry is no more complicated than using a thermometer. These small devices turn on with one button and are placed on a fingertip. In a few seconds, two numbers are displayed: oxygen saturation and pulse rate. Pulse oximeters are extremely reliable in detecting oxygenation problems and elevated heart rates.


No paywall at link......

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/opinion/coronavirus-testing-pneumonia.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=812828888&imp_id=447255282&action=click&module=trending&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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This article may save your life... (Original Post) dixiegrrrrl Apr 2020 OP
There's an app for that. Costs less than $5.00 Peregrine Took Apr 2020 #1
What app? Thanks uppityperson Apr 2020 #2
What OS? jberryhill Apr 2020 #5
Another article: demmiblue Apr 2020 #8
Thank you. Using a pulse ox regularly in my work, it seemed odd that accuracy uppityperson Apr 2020 #11
Tried Timewas Apr 2020 #17
Thank you. It would be great if they were accurate, but even from your link, beware uppityperson Apr 2020 #13
Available Facelake Oximeters OhNo-Really Apr 2020 #27
Kick and thank you. Guilded Lilly Apr 2020 #3
Thanks underpants Apr 2020 #4
My Samsung phone has it installed.... essaynnc Apr 2020 #6
Mine is extremely accurate. Always in line with the device my doc uses. Native Apr 2020 #20
Can you buy one online? Nt USALiberal Apr 2020 #7
Amazon sells a Fitbit kind of thing with the oximeter feature. displacedtexan Apr 2020 #12
How soon will they send it to you? dixiegrrrrl Apr 2020 #16
I ordered it yesterday, & it's scheduled to arrive on Saturday. displacedtexan Apr 2020 #28
Thanks! Nt USALiberal Apr 2020 #19
Walgreens & CVS and other pharmacies should have them online. ... aggiesal Apr 2020 #24
Thanks! Nt USALiberal Apr 2020 #25
Or not Disaffected Apr 2020 #9
Thank you. Pulse oximeters are still available on Amazon, some pharmacies uppityperson Apr 2020 #15
The price is up then. I bought one 2 months ago for Captain Zero Apr 2020 #18
K&R smirkymonkey Apr 2020 #10
I've been using a pulse-oximeter for some time now Dale Neiburg Apr 2020 #14
Thanks it's on my shopping list today and bucolic_frolic Apr 2020 #21
What is a good brand of pulse ox that you can buy on line? nt mitch96 Apr 2020 #22
Sorry, dunno. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2020 #36
I have a Omeron also. Good track record. I went to their web site and mitch96 Apr 2020 #37
Slate offering a counterpoint to this op ed IronLionZion Apr 2020 #23
I use an oximeter every day PatSeg Apr 2020 #26
plus, anxiety tightens muscles which inhibits deep breathing. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2020 #34
Yes PatSeg Apr 2020 #35
My wife is an RN and when this started the first thing she did was pick up a Pulse oximeter at CVS. TeamPooka Apr 2020 #29
We have the pulse oximeter that was used to monitor my MIL her last year of life csziggy Apr 2020 #30
Someone sent this to me earlier malaise Apr 2020 #31
I bought one at Walgreens today LeftInTX Apr 2020 #32
and now they are finding something like 90% that go on ventilators don't make it Kali Apr 2020 #33
 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
5. What OS?
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:20 PM
Apr 2020

There are several.

If you have Apple, go to the Apple app store and search "oximeter".

If you have Android, go to the Google Play story and search "oximeter".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29215972

demmiblue

(36,751 posts)
8. Another article:
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:32 PM
Apr 2020
Question: Should smartphone apps be used as oximeters? Answer: No

VERDICT
There is no evidence that any smartphone technology is accurate for the measurement of blood oxygen saturation. Furthermore, the scientific basis of such technologies is questionable. Oxygen saturation levels obtained from such technologies should not be trusted.

BACKGROUND
The COVID crisis is requiring us to manage patients with as little in-person contact as possible. The assessment of a patient with respiratory problems usually includes measurement of blood oxygen saturation (abbreviated SpO2), using a validated oximeter. This is particularly important in unwell patients with COVID-19, since hypoxia is a serious warning sign for severe pneumonia.1 Whilst in-person assessment would use a standard pulse oximeter on the patient’s finger, few patients have such a technology in their homes. Various technology companies have developed smartphone apps that are marketed as accurate for measuring oxygen saturation.

A previous rapid review by our team on assessing shortness of breath in remote consultations2 turned up two academic papers which claimed to have validated smartphone technologies for measuring oxygen levels in the blood.3 4 Both papers (summarised in a table in the appendix), described comparison against a reference method (finger oximetry or arterial blood gas). Whilst those papers included claims that there was good correlation between the smartphone reading and the reference standard, we were concerned about the risks of relying on these two small studies.2 We sought expert input from a Professor of Electrical Engineering (LT) who specialises in biomedical devices. This paper summarises Professor Tarassenko’s advice.

...

CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE DIGIDOC APP TESTED BY TOMLINSON ET AL3
Despite the principles set out above, the DigiDoc app used in the Tomlinson study claims to measure oxygen saturation levels with just the flash light and camera of a smartphone. The app was reviewed in a blog on the Medpage Today website in 2015 (https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/iltifathusain/51888) under the headline “There are apps making unjustifiable claims, exposing patients to unnecessary risk”. The author concludes his review with the following words: “I’d urge DigiDoc to either take the app off the market until the company can support its claims or at least make significant changes to the app store description. In the meantime, clinicians […] should advise their patients not to use it.”

The claims made by DigiDoc are scientifically unsound. The app “measures oxygen saturation within 90-100% with an accuracy of 0-4 RSM compared to a medical grade oximeter”. It is not clear what RSM is (is it root root-mean-square error, RMSE?) but if we assume that they are claiming an error of ±4%, then a random number generator with a mean value of 95% and errors randomly distributed between -4% and +4% would give values between 91% and 99%.

Careful analysis of the paper by Tomlinson et al3 confirms the lack of scientific credibility for the DigiDoc app. Figure 2 in the paper (Bland-Altman plot for the SpO2 values for the DigiDoc app and the triage pulse oximeter) shows that all the readings, bar two, were between 97% and 100%, i.e. completely normal, with 95% Limits of Agreement at -4% and +3.5%. The authors observe that “reliability is low for the camera-based app, even when the two investigators tested the same patient within 1 to 2 min of each other”. Their statement that the difference between the camera-based app and the triage pulse oximeter is ±4 points should have led them to conclude, given that the x-axis in the Bland-Altman plot only extends from 96% to 100%, that the app was highly inaccurate and hence dangerous.

...

Disclaimer: the article has not been peer-reviewed; it should not replace individual clinical judgement and the sources cited should be checked. The views expressed in this commentary represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the host institution, the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care. The views are not a substitute for professional medical advice.

https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/question-should-smartphone-apps-be-used-as-oximeters-answer-no/

uppityperson

(115,674 posts)
11. Thank you. Using a pulse ox regularly in my work, it seemed odd that accuracy
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:37 PM
Apr 2020

using cell phones would be accurate

uppityperson

(115,674 posts)
13. Thank you. It would be great if they were accurate, but even from your link, beware
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:39 PM
Apr 2020
Smartphone-based pulse oximetry is not inferior to standard pulse oximetry in pediatric patients without hypoxia


Also this is wrong, pulse oximeters can be very protable. Ones that gives constant readings aren't portable, but there are small ones that are run on batteries and are.
Pulse oximetry, a ubiquitous, noninvasive method to monitor oxygen saturation (SpO2), requires larger, nonportable equipment

OhNo-Really

(3,985 posts)
27. Available Facelake Oximeters
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 05:14 PM
Apr 2020
https://facelake.com/collections/pulse-oximeter



I ordered 2 for the house. Just in case one becomes positive. Will take a reading on all everyday to get a baseline average.

I also chose the expensive USPS express delivery to give the Post Office a tip of the hat in gratitude & receive ASAP

essaynnc

(792 posts)
6. My Samsung phone has it installed....
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:27 PM
Apr 2020

It's called Samsung Health. It measures your O2 level via the small sensor on the back of the phone. Not sure how accurate any of them are......

displacedtexan

(15,695 posts)
28. I ordered it yesterday, & it's scheduled to arrive on Saturday.
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 07:30 PM
Apr 2020

Not too long to wait. I've been such a slug lately that I needed an incentive to get off the sofa and exercise. And this Fitbit thing had that oximeter. The finger touch ones on Amazon look either suspicious or outrageously expensive.

aggiesal

(8,864 posts)
24. Walgreens & CVS and other pharmacies should have them online. ...
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 04:52 PM
Apr 2020

Also google "Pulse Oximeter" and choose the shopping tab at the top of the webpage, and you should see all kinds of makes & models at various price ranges. Price depends on what features you're willing to pay for.
Some priced at $19.99 up to $299.99

Hope you find the one you like.

uppityperson

(115,674 posts)
15. Thank you. Pulse oximeters are still available on Amazon, some pharmacies
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:47 PM
Apr 2020

may have them or be able to order them also. They are around $40.

Dale Neiburg

(694 posts)
14. I've been using a pulse-oximeter for some time now
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 02:39 PM
Apr 2020

to track my pulse due to atrial fibrillation. With covid I've started to keep a close eye on blood O2 as well. (I typically run 97% +/- 1.)

bucolic_frolic

(42,676 posts)
21. Thanks it's on my shopping list today and
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 04:04 PM
Apr 2020

and along those lines, have you noticed how clear the air is with no planes, trucks, and 90% less vehicle travel? CO2 levels must be plummeting too. This is great!

I got a notice from my insurance co ... car insurance. They told us a month ago we'd get a break on renewal, they must have had people jump to other companies because now we're getting 5% back in a couple weeks.

Now how about county taxes? The Schools are CLOSED. NO buildings, no buses, no heat, no electric. No roads crews, police are on but everyone is home lounging around. When will we see some TAX REBATES from this inactivity? I can guess. Never.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
36. Sorry, dunno.
Thu Apr 23, 2020, 09:19 PM
Apr 2020



But I did find sites that rate them by googling "best pulse ox meter."

Unless it is poorly rated, I might go with an Omeron, I have the Omeron BP unit, it's been doing every well for the past 6-7 years.















mitch96

(13,821 posts)
37. I have a Omeron also. Good track record. I went to their web site and
Thu Apr 23, 2020, 09:21 PM
Apr 2020

It looks like they don't make pulse ox devices... rats..
m

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
26. I use an oximeter every day
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 05:02 PM
Apr 2020

to monitor my oxygen levels, as I have serious respiratory issues. They are relatively inexpensive and very easy to use.

Some doctors prescribe Ativan to help prevent the patient from breathing faster and deeper. I know it tends to work for me when I have a hard time breathing, as the anxiety tends to make people breath too fast.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
34. plus, anxiety tightens muscles which inhibits deep breathing.
Thu Apr 23, 2020, 06:34 PM
Apr 2020


that alone is why I want to use one if possible.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
35. Yes
Thu Apr 23, 2020, 06:57 PM
Apr 2020

It took quite a few bad attacks before doctors finally used Ativan for me. The anxiety when you can't breath is debilitating and the anxiety makes it much worse. There are breathing techniques that can help, but it isn't always easy to use them when you are fighting for oxygen.

You can purchase oximeters at Amazon and they are very inexpensive. It helps me to feel more in control.

TeamPooka

(24,156 posts)
29. My wife is an RN and when this started the first thing she did was pick up a Pulse oximeter at CVS.
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 07:34 PM
Apr 2020

She monitors herself, me and my 87 year old Mom who lives with us now.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
30. We have the pulse oximeter that was used to monitor my MIL her last year of life
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 07:56 PM
Apr 2020

She was dying of COPD so while my brother in law was acting as her caregiver, this was one of the items the doctor insisted on. By her last stint in the hospital, they were lucky if her oxygen saturation was over 90% while on oxygen.

I just dug it out of the cabinet and will keep it at hand to check my husband and my own oxygen saturation regularly.

Thanks for posting the article!

LeftInTX

(24,560 posts)
32. I bought one at Walgreens today
Wed Apr 22, 2020, 09:11 PM
Apr 2020

It was the last one on the shelf.

I can't remember if I paid $35 or $25..LOL

Oh well, I never thought I would buy a pulse ox...This is soooo crazy.....
Hoarding groceries, now a pulse ox...I hate collecting junk...my life is so weird now....

I'm doing curbside for the first time tomorrow and couldn't modify my freaking order. So I'm getting two pounds of carrots..(I already have a pound) More bread than I need. Several bags of apples....This is just crazy....

ETA: I only intend to use it, if I have symptoms of Covid 19 with positive test result or think I'm positive. The main use is to let a doc know that it's low and I need to go to the hospital.

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