What Is Pr, Bpm, Spo2 In Pulse Oximeter? Terminologies Explained.

During the surge of the second wave of Covid in India, we have seen mind-twisting things that humanity should never see. We have seen a shortage of medical appliances such as thermometers, oxygen, and pulse oximeters. But what is a pulse oximeter and what is PR, BPM, SPo2 in Pulse oximeter?

Before we go through all these terminologies let us understand what a Pulse oximeter does:

A pulse oximeter is a simple clip-like device that is used to measure the oxygen level present in the blood. It is very easy to use and provides a painless and quick way to measure the oxygen saturation in your bloodstream.

You can place a pulse oximeter on a body part such as the tip of your finger (where it is generally placed) or an ear lobe also works fine. It will give you some information in form of reading such as PR, BPM, and Spo2 level which helps the healthcare providers to decide, whether or not you need extra oxygen.

The process of using a pulse oximeter for finding out the oxygen levels in the human body is termed Pulse Oximetry.

When a Pulse oximeter is used?

A pulse oximeter is used to check the oxygen levels during different situations such as :

• During a surgery when a patient is sedated or even after that.
• To keep a check on the performance of lung medicines.
• To track the oxygen levels during increased activities.
• Get an idea of oxygen levels and if the levels drop take the patient to a ventilator.
• People are using the Best pulse oximeter in India to check their oxygen level at their homes as an early sign of covid related issues.

What is PR is Pulse Oximeter?

PR stands for Pulse Rate. It is the measure of the number of times your heart beats within a minute. Pulse Rate helps the healthcare professional to access the overall fitness and exertion levels at a particular moment in time.

There is also one more factor related to the flow of blood which is known and the Perfusion Index or Pi. It is the ratio of the pulsating blood to the non-pulsating blood flow in your finger. This factor is an indicator of the flow of blood to your finger.

What is BPM in Pulse Oximeter?

BPM stands for Beats Per Minute in a pulse oximeter. This reading helps you to monitor how fast your heart is beating. You can say it is directly related to PR and Pi. It is a unit measuring PR in the human body.

What is Spo2 in Pulse Oximeter?

The measure of oxygen saturation levels in our arteries is known as Spo2. 

The more oxygen is saturated in the blood shows more oxygen is in the arterial blood. Levels of oxygen can change due to several factors such as lung or heart function or due to physical activities as well.

In simple words, it is an estimation of how much oxygen does the hemoglobin in your blood contains in comparison to how much it could contain.

What are Normal PR, Bpm, and Spo2 in Oximeter?

The normal reading for PR, BPM, and Spo2 can differ for humans of different ages and physical activities they do.

For an adult, the normal BPM range is 60-100 bpm.

For better clarity please follow the table below:

These levels can be a bit higher if the BPM is checked just after any physical activity.

The normal Spo2 levels in a human body lie in the range of 95% to 100%. That’s the general reading in percentage which we see in a pulse oximeter. 

If the level of oxygen in the blood is below 90% it is considered low or hypoxemia.

What is Hypoxemia and how it is different from Hypoxia?

If the saturation of oxygen(Spo2) in a patient’s blood falls below 92% on a pulse oximeter, that condition is known as Hypoxemia.

On the other hand, Hypoxia is a condition where the patient receives an insufficient supply of oxygen for normal life functions. These two words are often confused with each other and are found to be used interchangeably by some publications.

What are the symptoms of Hypoxia?

The symptoms can be mild or severe that depends on the condition of the patient. Hypoxia was the main murderer when Covid was at its peak.

In some severe cases today also most deaths occur due to lack of oxygen. In such cases, the patient quickly needs to be put on a ventilator to save his life and provide enough oxygen to the body.

The symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath.
• Rapid breathing
• Increased heart beating rate
• Inability to communicate.
• Confusion in mind
• Possible coma
• The lips ad fingernail may turn blue.
• Compromise of certain lung functions may lead to asthma, COPD, and bronchitis.
• Abnormalities in different forms of hemoglobin and other abnormalities in blood cells.
• In small children, the symptoms of hypoxia include difficulty in breathing and drooling.

A very interesting fact is that the term Hypoxia is used sometimes to describe both the states ( Hypoxia and Hypoxemia.)

If not treated on time hypoxemia can lead to hypoxia. It can affect various organs and tissues. Hypoxia can severely damage your brain which is commonly known as cerebral hypoxia. It may lead to brain damage or even death.

A person can also develop hypoxia if he or she is climbing on high altitudes. Hypoxia is also observed when a person is drowning.

That is why whenever you visit a hospital regular checkups of oxygen levels are done in stable patients. In serious patients who are admitted in ICU or on the ventilator, the oxygen levels are monitored continuously.

This gives your healthcare professional an idea of how much oxygen is available in the patient’s blood and how much more is required.

Also read:

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