Pulse Oximeter Devices used to determine when supplemental oxygen is necessary

There are many different individuals with different health conditions that may require them to use supplemental oxygen. Some of these health conditions include asthma, COPD, and other respiratory conditions that may result in supplemental oxygen. Asthma is one of the most common health conditions that affects many individuals. What makes it particularly difficult is that asthma can take affect at any time and actually cause an asthma attack. Simple physical activity or physical exercise can actually cause an asthma attack that in turn may either be controlled or become fatal in some cases. One of the ways to monitor asthma and in particular the oxygen levels of individuals living with asthma is to use a pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter is a medical device that measures pulse rate as well as oxygen saturation in the blood quickly and efficiently. So lets say that an individual has asthma and they desire to run in the park for exercise. They can utilize the pulse oximeter device to monitor their oxygen levels in order to ensure that their oxygen levels do not fall below a point that may cause an asthma attack. The device works in a very simple manner whereby the individual just needs to simply place their finger inside the oximeter device and within seconds they get the reading of their oxygen levels. From that reading they are able to determine whether they can continue with their physical exercise or whether they should stop and rest or even in extreme cases resort to supplemental oxygen. The pulse oximeter devices of today are quite revolutionary in that they enable portable monitoring of oxygen levels wherever individuals desire to go. In the past, pulse oximeters were only used in hospitals and clinics and as such where not only not used by home patients but they were also not portable. However, the newer generation of products are extremely portable whereby they are only a fraction of the size of a cellphone while at the same time delivering the same accuracy and usability as the devices that were found in the hospital setting. The new generation of oximeter devices also are very affordable whereby the individuals at home can purchase one for themselves and easily monitor their health wherever they decide to go. The old generation of the devices were very expensive and in fact only limited to the high budget of hospitals and physician offices. The other condition that individuals tend to use a pulse oximeter to determine if they require supplemental oxygen is COPD. This condition is better known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder which is a condition whereby not enough oxygen is absorbed by the body and thus can result in detrimental affects to the body due to the lack of oxygen. COPD patients can simply take their pulse oximeter device wherever they desire to go and monitor their oxygen levels. If at anytime they realize that they are not getting enough oxygen they can resort to supplemental oxygen.