Why You Should Have A Pulse Oximeter In Your Medicine Cabinet
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic people were hoarding toilet paper, anti-bacterial wipes, and pulse oximeters. That’s right! Stores couldn’t keep these small medical devices in stock. Now that they’re readily available again, doctors say you should pick one up. According to an article in The New York Times, this purchase could save your life if you get COVID-19.
A pulse oximeter is a small device that clips on your finger and measures your blood oxygen levels. It’s important to monitor your oxygen levels if you have COVID-19. That’s because some patients develop a form of oxygen deprivation called “silent hypoxia,” which occurs when blood oxygen levels drop so slowly that the patient doesn’t notice anything is wrong. These patients often become so ill that by the time they get to the hospital they need to be put on a ventilator.
A study out of South Africa found that patients who used a pulse oximeter at home after being diagnosed with COVID-19 lowered their risk of dying by 52%. It’s believed this little device saved 46 lives. Experts found that monitoring oxygen levels and getting to the hospital if they dropped made a big difference in clinical outcome.
As an added bonus, patients who used a pulse oximeter after a COVID-19 diagnosis had lower anxiety levels. One patient told the newspaper that knowing their blood oxygen level was in the “safe” zone was empowering during an otherwise frightening time.
The Seniors Trust is committed to improving the lives of seniors by working to improve Social Security. It wants to see Congress pass the Social Security Expansion Act. This landmark piece of legislation will provide bigger monthly Social Security benefits, establish a more realistic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for seniors, and guarantee the long-term solvency of the Social Security program.
