General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis 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 patients 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.)
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
Peregrine Took
(7,408 posts)My blood oxygen level is 98 at least it was yesterday.
uppityperson
(115,674 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)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)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 patients 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 Tarassenkos 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: Id 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)using cell phones would be accurate
I tested 5 of them and not one worked at all...
uppityperson
(115,674 posts)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.
OhNo-Really
(3,985 posts)Link to tweet
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
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)underpants
(182,279 posts)essaynnc
(792 posts)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......
Native
(5,935 posts)USALiberal
(10,877 posts)displacedtexan
(15,695 posts)I just ordered one for $46 & change because I needed a Fitbit thing.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XQ85YNH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Was wondering if they considered it an essential item.
displacedtexan
(15,695 posts)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.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)aggiesal
(8,864 posts)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.
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Disaffected
(4,508 posts)uppityperson
(115,674 posts)may have them or be able to order them also. They are around $40.
Captain Zero
(6,714 posts)21.00. on Amazon. A good brand too.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Dale Neiburg
(694 posts)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)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.
mitch96
(13,821 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)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)It looks like they don't make pulse ox devices... rats..
m
IronLionZion
(45,261 posts)PatSeg
(46,804 posts)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)that alone is why I want to use one if possible.
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)She monitors herself, me and my 87 year old Mom who lives with us now.
csziggy
(34,120 posts)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!
malaise
(267,823 posts)Really important read
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)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.