Pulse oximetry

Abstract

Continuous monitoring of arterial blood saturation using pulse oximetry has become the standard of care in the ICU. With the proliferation of pulse oximeters, episodic hypoxemia is detected much more commonly than previously suspected. By alerting the clinician to the presence of hypoxemia, pulse oximeters can lead to a more rapid treatment of serious hypoxemia and possibly avoid serious complication. Moreover, pulse oximetry can reduce arterial blood gas analysis and potentially decrease health care costs [1]. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.