SP02 finger monitor tester giving false readings with Oximeter?
September 7th, 2011
Hi
I just brought a finger Pulse Oximeter & Heart Rate Monitor, the Sp02 reading on me clicks around
96-98% which is fine.
But if I hold my breather for as long as possible say 1 min 30 sec’s or breathe in and out of a plastic bag for couple of min’s with no new air coming in the bag, the meter still reads 96-98%.
Surly it should start to drop as the o2 in my blood will be severely reduced?
Brought for sleep apnea but with the above tests cant see it being any good?
Your thought, Cheers
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Posted in heart rate monitor watches | 
Tags: amp, cheers, finger pulse oximeter, heart rate, o2, sleep, sleep apnea
spo2 means saturation of gas with hemoglobin in your blood nothing to do with you holding your breath. You still have good diffusion and circulation. IF you hold your breath you’re just going to create more deadspace in your upper airway which the pul ox wont measure.. Now if u stop breathing involuntarily for a longer periods of time and your body is trying to breath then you will have a drop in your o2 sat but holding your breath as long as you can?? nothing to do with it because your brain knows you’re okay. If the brain detects something abnormal involuntarily then that makes sense..
Also pul ox wont detect which kind of gas you have in your hemoglobin. You could have a build up of co2 in your body and the pul ox will still measure 95+ %. Oxygen has a low affinity with hemoglobin so if you have too much co2 or even carbon monoxide it will bind w hemoglobin more and you’re pul ox will still read 95+%