The blood oximeter is also sold out! What should I do if I can't buy it? Who must have it? Here comes the response

Recent various anti-epidemic supplies

They have become a hot commodity

In addition to antigens, thermometers

Some e-commerce platforms

Finger clip oximeter is out of stock

So

Is it necessary to prepare?

In this regard, Wang Sheng, director of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University, said in an interview with a reporter from Jiefang Daily and Shangguan News:

“ As far as COVID-19 is concerned, it is not necessary for the vast majority of homes to have an oximeter.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) also has an answer to the pulse oximeter in its new coronavirus column, stating that "most people infected with the new coronavirus who receive home care do not need to use a pulse oximeter."

WHO official website answers↑If you have not purchased a blood oximeter

Don't worry, it's not necessary

Why mention the blood oximeter?

Blood oximeters are still relatively unfamiliar medical devices to many people. Why do we need to monitor blood oxygen? What is the function of blood oximeters?

Wang Sheng introduced that oxygen enters the blood through gas exchange of the respiratory membrane and combines with hemoglobin in the blood to become oxygenated hemoglobin. Blood oxygen saturation is the abbreviation of pulse oxygen saturation, which refers to the percentage of oxygenated hemoglobin in the total hemoglobin under a certain oxygen partial pressure .

Blood oxygen saturation is widely used in hospitals for monitoring various critical illnesses . It reflects the oxygen supply status of human tissues and organs and is often used to determine whether the human body has hypoxemia.

➡The normal value of arterial oxygen saturation in normal people is 95%-100%;

➡If it is lower than 90%, it often indicates hypoxemia, which needs to be corrected by oxygen therapy and other measures.

The World Health Organization points out that people infected with the new coronavirus may experience a drop in blood oxygen, which may be life-threatening. Generally speaking, a drop in blood oxygen levels below 90%, or a gradual decline, may be an early sign that further medical evaluation is needed.

Why do most people

No need for a blood oximeter?

Generally speaking, in clinical practice, only patients who may develop hypoxemia need to monitor their blood oxygen saturation, such as patients with severe pneumonia.

Abnormal blood oxygen saturation is usually related to pulmonary ventilation dysfunction, pulmonary gas exchange dysfunction, or a significant decrease in oxygen delivery capacity.

In other words, people whose cough reflex is significantly weakened due to cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage or craniocerebral trauma, respiratory muscle dysfunction due to advanced age or central and peripheral neuropathy, severe damage to pulmonary ventilation or gas exchange function due to sleep apnea syndrome, bronchial asthma, interstitial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, and those with severely reduced heart function are prone to hypoxemia and may consider keeping a finger clip blood oximeter at home.

Nowadays, many sports bracelets or watches also have the function of measuring blood oxygen SPO₂, but it should be noted that the measurement results of bracelets and watches will not be very accurate. If you want to monitor blood oxygen conditions, you should still look at a finger-clip oximeter.

The purpose of preparing a blood oximeter is to observe whether we have hypoxia and determine whether we need medical treatment based on the observation results. If there is obvious chest tightness, wheezing, or even difficulty breathing, and the finger clip blood oximeter measures blood oxygen saturation below 93%, it is recommended to go to the hospital in time and call 120 if necessary.

For ordinary people without serious underlying diseases, monitoring blood oxygen saturation is not very meaningful, and there is no need to follow the trend and buy a blood oximeter .

If you don't buy a blood oximeter

What should I do if I am worried about the drop in blood oxygen?

Wang Sheng said that if chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or severe panting after activity occur, it is highly likely that the human body has hypoxemia. Therefore, there is no need to rely on the measurement results of the finger oximeter.

He also suggested that for people who can move normally, a simple test can be done - let them walk or climb stairs. "People who can walk more than 200 meters without stopping, or go directly to the third floor without stopping, usually have good cardiopulmonary function."

After the optimization of epidemic prevention policies

Many residents are nervous and even panic.

Fear of contracting COVID-19

The hot sale of finger clip oximeters may

This also reflects the tension

Facing the coronavirus

How can we achieve real protection?

Facing the novel coronavirus, there is no need to panic. The methods of protection are actually very simple and everyone knows them. The difficulty lies in persisting in doing them. We need to do the following:

1. Novel coronavirus vaccination;

2. Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, balanced nutrition, moderate exercise, adequate rest, and avoid excessive fatigue;

3. Improve health literacy and develop hygienic habits and lifestyles such as keeping a distance of one meter, washing hands frequently, wearing masks, and using public chopsticks.

Source: Comprehensive Shangguan News, WHO official website, Science Popularization China