Pulse oximetry and COVID-19 pneumonia.

[Andy Burns]

You need an IR source as well as a red source of light, and I think they have to pass through, e.g. the finger, rather than just touch and reflect off it?

[David]

Damn!

My Galaxy S5 only measures pulse rate.

Cheers

Dave R

[tim...]

but we don't all have ear thermometers and blood pressure devices

and to someone on minimum wage with a family to feed, 20-30 pounds isn't cheap

and then there's the arse-ache of finding that having not used it for the past 12 moths, the battery is flat

tim

[tim...]

55 bpm

you need to go to hospital

tim

[R D S]

I've 5 litres of IPA and a large-ish tub of aloe vera based after sun.

Is it time to make my fortune?

[S Viemeister]

My mother-in-law normally had a rate of between 50 and 60 and was perfectly healthy. She did yoga and cycled a lot, I suppose that could have had something to do with it.

[Jethro_uk]

And probably losing calibration ?

[Jethro_uk]

My resting heart rate is usually between 50 and 60. Along with my 110/70 blood pressure it caused a brief stir when I went for a pre-op check last week (although I have no idea when the op will be).

But then it's always been like that - since I was 18 ... I'm 54 now !

[Robin]

<snip>

And AFAICS there are other medical professionals questioning the apps. Eg

"Comparison of smartphone application-based vital sign monitors without external hardware versus those used in clinical practice: a prospective trial ... The degree of correlation between monitors routinely used in clinical practice and the smartphone-based applications studied is insufficient to recommend clinical utilization. This lack of correlation suggests that the applications evaluated do not provide clinically meaningful data. The inaccurate data provided by these applications can potentially contribute to patient harm."

Current comments from another doctor on that and othger issues at

And if I were to wish to be guided by Samsung's legal department, I'd ask myself why they withdrew the oximetry app, and what their terms of reference said.

[T i m]

Really? ;-(

Just done it again (x3) and it's 56 bpm, 93% / 52, 92 / 56, 96) and it looked like a very regular / repeated 'trace'?

Don't forget I am currently hibernating. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Ophelia]

My resting heart rate is usually between 50 and 60. Along with my 110/70 blood pressure it caused a brief stir when I went for a pre-op check last week (although I have no idea when the op will be).

But then it's always been like that - since I was 18 ... I'm 54 now !

[Jethro_uk]

Of course the problem with that is convincing the 999 operator that they should believe your £20 POS Chinese knock-off "meter" and despatch an ambulance on blues and twos "just in case" ...

[tim...]

if by bpm you mean your pulse rate, it is in the dangerously low range

what you do with that information is entirely your call

tim

[tim...]

a low oxygen reading with no other symptoms is likely to return to normal when resting

it is the existence of those other symptoms that should decide on further course of action

tim

[Jethro_uk]

AIUI the key symptom of COVID respiratory distress is low oxygen to start with. Suggesting that a little jog around the block to "test" it, may not be the best idea in the world ...

?

[Tim+]

Don?t be daft. It?s the low range of ?normal?. In general your resting pulse rate is related to your fitness. The fitter you are the lower your resting pulse rate.

If you?re *not* fit though and your resting heart rate is dropping to that level it could indicate a heart defect. It all depends on the context.

Tim+

[Tim+]

A key *sign*, not symptom. A symptom is something you feel. A characteristic of Covid19 is that people aren?t feeling that bad when they are in fact dangerously ill. This is what makes the oximeter useful. If can detect this sign before you can.

Tim

[Jethro_uk]

healthcare-

Thus returning to my previous point being that's all as may be, but what are 999 going to say when you ring up and say "my cheap chinese oximeter thinks I may have a problem" ???

[T i m]

FWIW, at my last test they said I had 'an enlarged heart muscle' (or similar) but didn't also suggest anything should / could be done about it?

76 / 97% (but I have just cooked / eaten lunch). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[tim...]

but can it?

surely you need to have a breathing problem for O2 to be low

and you really ought to notice that you have a breathing problem.

tim