Reasons Why Purchasing a Cheap Pulse Oximeter Is Not the Best Decision

Pulse oximeters are no longer confined to hospitals and clinics nowadays. Thanks to technology, people who need them may be able to purchase and bring their very own pulse oximeters wherever necessary. But with so many devices on the market today, selecting the best one for you is not easy. Just like shopping for our essentials, we have to consider several factors. Unfortunately, most of the time the first thing we tend to prioritize is the cost of the product which is a really wrong decision. You think you might be able to save some cash by buying low-cost items, but in reality you are spending a fortune over it. You may even be putting your very own life at risk.

Saving or trying to cut your medical expenses isn’t a bad thing.  But shopping for medical equipment requires careful decision-making. You have to consider the needs of the person who will be using it, the accuracy, as well as the time frame that you would expect to use it.

Useful Features

There is a wide assortment of pulse oximeters with varying features. Clinics and hospitals are most likely to use the large and sophisticated unit that has a large display for easy viewing. Visual and auditory alarms are intended to alert the user for lower than normal pulse rate and oxygen saturation. Some of them may also include a plethysmographic waveform data which is useful to indicate blood perfusion to the site. Other added features like motion-resistance make them very useful for ambulance units. More often, they are used for continuous monitoring of patients especially during administration of an anesthetic. It can also store and print pulse oximeter data whenever necessary. These superior quality tabletop pulse oximeters usually cost a lot but they are very durable and very accurate and reliable which is why hospitals often opt for this type.

Quality and Precision

But if the user only requires periodic assessment of his/her oxygen saturation, physicians may recommend the less-expensive portable pulse oximeters. Leading brands like Nonin and Landon have a wide assortment of handheld and fingertip pulse oximeters with unmatched accuracy. This is probably due to its clean light source within the sensor allowing it to filter interferences like motion and low signal that can skew with the results, and thus reading only the true pulse of the user. This technology is not present in any other brands. You must know that oxygen saturation results are very crucial. If the reading is not very accurate, this may cost the user’s life.

In addition, high-end pulse oximeters should be able to finish a spot check in a matter of seconds. In a fast-paced setting, you would not like to wait for minutes to know the O₂ sats of a person. This will put the patient further at risk for brain damage or even death.

Durability

When you buy a pulse oximeter, you would really want it to last. Some people have medical conditions that require a lifetime of constant oxygen saturation monitoring. You should know how to use it so that you won’t be manipulating the wrong buttons ending up damaging the device.

Maintenance

Some pulse oximeters require no maintenance at all. But just like any gadget, pulse oximeters are also delicate so you should always keep it in a safe place away from children’s reach. Do not allow children to play or use a pulse oximeter unsupervised. People who use them as part of their profession or activities should select the type that can withstand unstable conditions. If your pulse oximeter is not even durable, you will tend to buy a new unit over and over again.

With low-cost comes low-quality. But this doesn’t mean that you have to spend too much. Medical devices come at reasonable prices. You just have to know where to look and what to look for in a gadget. Nowadays, pulse oximeters are equipped with the capacity to store data and several other features. You just have to make sure that you will be using these features. Talk to a specialist or a physician perhaps about what type of pulse oximeter suits you. They can recommend a type with good reputation and one that is ideal for your condition and activities. You might also like to read user reviews to know the pros and cons of a certain pulse oximeter.

Buying low-end pulse oximeters is very risky.  With the monetary difference so small, is it worth sacrificing pigmentation the accuracy, durability, and your own life?