This diagnostic process entails the continual monitoring of a affected person’s blood oxygen saturation ranges whereas they sleep. A small machine, sometimes hooked up to a fingertip or earlobe, makes use of gentle to measure the proportion of hemoglobin within the blood that’s carrying oxygen. The info collected is then recorded and analyzed to determine any important drops in oxygen ranges in the course of the evening. For instance, a affected person suspected of getting sleep apnea may endure this analysis to find out the severity and frequency of desaturation occasions.
This non-invasive evaluation performs an important function in figuring out respiratory disturbances that happen throughout sleep. Its advantages embody early detection of circumstances like sleep apnea, which might result in varied cardiovascular and different well being problems if left untreated. Traditionally, one of these monitoring supplied a less complicated and extra accessible different to polysomnography, notably in conditions the place full sleep lab research are usually not available or applicable.
