Pulse oximeter

Consumer pulse oximeters

In addition to pulse oximeters for professional use, many inexpensive "consumer" models are available. Opinions vary about the reliability of consumer oximeters; a typical comment is "The research data on home monitors has been mixed, but they tend to be accurate within a few percentage points". Some smart watches with activity tracking incorporate an oximeter function. An article on such devices, in the context of diagnosing COVID-19 infection, quoted João Paulo Cunha of the University of Porto, Portugal: "these sensors are not precise, that's the main limitation ... the ones that you wear are only for the consumer level, not for the clinical level". Pulse oximeters used for diagnosis of conditions such as COVID-19 should be Class IIB medical grade oximeters. Class IIB oximeters can be used on patients of all skin colors, low pigmentation and in the presence of motion. When a pulse oximeter is shared between two patients, to prevent cross-infection it should be cleaned with alcohol wipes after each use or a disposable probe or finger cover should be used.