Oxygen saturation measures the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream. A pulse oximeter is commonly used to determine oxygen saturation, while an ABG test provides a more accurate reading. Patients with blood oxygen levels below 90% are considered to have hypoxemia, which can be caused by various lung diseases. Treatment includes oxygen therapy and lifestyle changes.
Oxygen saturation is the measure of how much oxygen is available in the bloodstream. As blood is pumped from the heart around the body, it first passes through the lungs where oxygen molecules attach to red blood cells to be carried throughout the rest of the body. The percentage of red blood cells completely saturated with oxygen is referred to as arterial oxygen saturation or blood oxygen level. Healthy blood oxygen saturation is between 95 and 100%, but patients with lung disease often have a lower percentage unless they use supplemental oxygen.
A pulse oximeter is commonly used to determine oxygen saturation. This is a small device that clips onto a patient’s fingertips or earlobe and shines two beams of light, one red and one infrared, through the patient’s skin. The beams of light allow the pulse oximeter to read small changes in the color of the patient’s blood caused by the pulse, which in turn provides an immediate estimate of the oxygen saturation in the blood. Pulse oximeters are most accurate when a strong pulse is present.
For a more accurate reading of arterial oxygen saturation, an ABG (ABG) test may be administered. In this test, blood is typically drawn from the radial artery in the wrist, although other arteries may also be used. This test can be a little more painful than other blood tests – which draw from a vein rather than an artery – but the test is quick and usually well tolerated with little risk to the patient. The results of an ABG are available within minutes.
Patients with blood oxygen levels below 90% are considered to have hypoxemia, and a blood oxygen level below 80% is known as severe hypoxemia. Shortness of breath is the main symptom of hypoxemia. There are various causes for this condition, including congenital heart disease, low cardiac output, and interstitial lung disease.
Other lung diseases that could cause hypoxemia include pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), anemia, airway obstruction, lung collapse, fluid accumulation in the lungs, and sleep apnea. Patients with hypoxemia may be given oxygen to increase blood oxygen saturation and are usually advised not to smoke, avoid air pollutants such as secondhand smoke, and get regular exercise if possible. Chronic heart or lung disease will need to be treated under specialist advice to maintain optimum health.
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