How can a portable pulse oximeter be used for a potential sleep apnea patient?
A If a doctor believes a patient is suffering from sleep disorders, the doctor can give the patient a pulse oximeter to wear overnight while the patient is sleeping. Konica Minolta s Pulsox can be worn like a watch and the probe attaches to a finger. The next day, the patient can return the pulse oximeter to the doctor, who will download the data. That data will help the doctor determine whether the patient has a potential sleep apnea problem. If the patient appears to have sleep apnea, the next step might be to enroll the patient in a sleep lab. While in the lab, sleep tests will be conducted by polysomnography where pulse oximetry is one of the main parameters. Q What are the pros and cons of using portable pulse oximeter? A One of the pros of using a portable pulse oximeter is that it is a simple-to-use and economical screening device to determine patients who might have sleep apnea. It would provide supportive data to doctors of those patients who are true candidates for a sleep la
