What is pulse oximetry?
What is the normal oxygen saturation?
95% and above
What are the parts of a pulse oximeter?
- probe which attaches to finger/ear
What is the composition of whole blood?
Plasma (55%)
WBC & Platelets (<1%)
RBC (45%)
Define SO2
Ratio of Hb bound with oxyen to the total Hb
= HbO2/Hb + HbO2
How many molecules of O2 does Hb have?
3 or 4
What is the oxygen capacity of normal blood?
200ml O2/liter
What is the normal Hb concentration?
150g/liter of blood
How much better is Hb at carrying oxygen than plasma?
Can carry 65 times more oxygen than plasma at a PO2 of 100mm Mercury
(98-99% of oxygen carried by Hb, very little dissolved in blood plasma)
What gives the most accurate measure of oxygen in the body?
Blood gas analysis
What are the limitations of blood gas analysis?
How does a pulse oximeter work?
What are the parts of the detector?
- 1 photosensor
What is transmission mode?
What is reflectance mode?
Difference in colour between oxygenated and non-oxygenated blood
Non-oxygenated = blue
Oxygenated = red
- darker colour of venous blood is because Hb absorbs more red & less blue light than HbO2
Define oximetry
Optical measurement of oxyhaemoglobin (O2Hb) saturation in the blood
Uses for oximetry
- cannot be used for hypoxia (tissue oxygen levels not blood)
What does hypoxia depend on?
What does a pulse oximeter not measure?
Define hypoxaemia
Low inspired partial pressure of oxygen (ventilation)
Causes of hypoxaemia
Dangers of hypoxaemia
What is a detectable sign of hypoxaemia
Cyanosis