Title: Pulse Oximetry
Headings: Pulse Oximetry
Pulse Oximetry
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Content: Pulse oximetry is a simple, non-invasive and painless test that is used to measure the percent of oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the arterial blood and the pulse rate. The pulse-oximetry test was invented in the 1970s and is now widely used and accepted in clinical care. In fact, it is often considered a vital sign. Traditionally, pulse oximetry has been used to monitor an individual’s oxygen saturation during acute and chronic illness, as well as during procedures requiring general anesthesia or sedation. Why is Pulse Oximetry Used to Screen for CHD? A routine physical examination, as performed during the first 24 hours of life in most institutions, is only 50 percent effective in detecting CHD. The pulse-oximetry test can help identify infants with low levels of oxygen in their blood and may help diagnose critical CHD before an infant becomes sick. The test has been recommended as a screening test for critical CHD by the: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
American Heart Association
American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Cardiology
It is important to note, however, that it is possible for a baby with CHD to have a normal pulse-oximetry reading. CHD cannot be completely ruled out by a normal pulse-oximetry reading.