The need for oxygen therapy has been discussed in these articles more than once. I reviewed this recently on my radio show, “The Buzz with Dr. Z” on WRTA. By the way, this radio show occurs the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 2pm and I invite anyone to listen. If this sounds like a commercial, it is.
The need for monitoring on-going oxygen therapy cannot be overlooked. Remember that oxygen is essentially a medication and needs to be given in the proper dosage and for the right amount of time during the day. Just like other medications, oxygen treatment needs to be followed, and adjustments made when more or less is needed.
The most common way we monitor the oxygen level of any patient is using a pulse oximeter. This is a small device that fits on the finger and gives a reading on the heart rate of the patient along with the oxygen saturation of the blood. This device is used often because it is non-invasive. It does not require us to put the patient through any distress. However, if you look at the use of pulse oximetry along with the use of a so-called arterial blood gas, there are some disturbing disparities.
Patients in various ethnic and racial groups with significant skin pigmentation may have problems with accurate oxygen monitoring when using a pulse oximeter. An arterial blood gas which is obtained by drawing a blood sample from a small wrist artery is needed.
