After my father had surgery in June I was extra cautious about his Blood-Oxy level (SpO2).
We have 2 inexpensive finger SpO2 meters that we check frequently when being active.
I have looked often for a easy to ware or watch like system to read the SpO2 instead of the rather blocky meter, but the best I found was a watch with still a finger tip meter.
As we know the Apple Watch has the hardware to measure SpO2, the photoplethysmography sensor used in SpO2 sensors, but AW does not produce a SpO2 readout (currently?).
So the story:
On New Years Day 2016 me and my wife visited my dad at his apartment, walked nearby to lunch, and then I drove us to see my mom (his wife) who was in rehab from her operation 2 weeks earlier. He seemed tired but his SpO2 was good (above 96). Still, we made the visit short and drove back to his apartment.
Weather was cool and wet, kept him comfortable in car on ride.
When we got home instead of dinner he deiced to go sleep so we walked him home (SpO2 96, OK), and went to eat.
We came back for one last check before we left. SpO2 was 86 (!!!)
I had him lay down and put his oxygen machine on him (use when needed). Occasional dips are normal for him, the portable O2 machine get him back up, but this time the reading remained around 86 SpO2.
With no change after a couple of minuets I decided to take him to hospital. While low, this was NOT an emergency.
He got dressed and I got the electric scooter to ride to car instead of walking, with the portable O2 machine pumping away.
When he got in car I checked again: 78 SpO2 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Instead of going a top quality hospital, I quickly drove him to closest (which does have very good ER).
At the ER it was reading in low 70's (72? things got crazy), his nose and underside of saw was a deep bluish purple(!!!!).
He had a virulent case of pneumonia and typical masks pushing 6 L/m of O2 was not enough, they put a ventilator tube down his air pipe and forced the O2 in.
The good news is he recovered and is back home with his wife. Unfortunately his normal O2 level is high 80 to low 90's.
What I discovered talking with ER docs was as the bodies O2 level decreases it shuts down capillaries to extremities and the finger type sensors above or the disposable soft fold tape on ones the hospital uses like the one below are not as accurate.
Instead of taping the above on a finger, they stuck it on his forehead!
Despite the sensor and LED light being about an inch apart, the monitor could read it just fine!
(image for example, this one is made for forehead reading)
So it is possible the Apple Watch could easily read SpO2.
I would have purchased an Apple Watch on the spot (and new iPhone too) if it did. Last year the wrist type SpO2 cost over $200, they are now about $100 and up, so the AW would have been a good price.
I am still ready to get AW the moment it has that feature!
SpO2 on AW is good for more than elderly with diminished lung capacity.
Mountain climbers and skiers need to be aware of O2
Small plane pilots have to watch O2
People who work around hazardous gasses can use it (like CO or excessive CO2 concentration)
Add the activity here.
I hope Apple will get the approval to make it happen soon, I am asking for it, money ready.
#SpO2onAppleWatch
We have 2 inexpensive finger SpO2 meters that we check frequently when being active.
I have looked often for a easy to ware or watch like system to read the SpO2 instead of the rather blocky meter, but the best I found was a watch with still a finger tip meter.
As we know the Apple Watch has the hardware to measure SpO2, the photoplethysmography sensor used in SpO2 sensors, but AW does not produce a SpO2 readout (currently?).
So the story:
On New Years Day 2016 me and my wife visited my dad at his apartment, walked nearby to lunch, and then I drove us to see my mom (his wife) who was in rehab from her operation 2 weeks earlier. He seemed tired but his SpO2 was good (above 96). Still, we made the visit short and drove back to his apartment.
Weather was cool and wet, kept him comfortable in car on ride.
When we got home instead of dinner he deiced to go sleep so we walked him home (SpO2 96, OK), and went to eat.
We came back for one last check before we left. SpO2 was 86 (!!!)
I had him lay down and put his oxygen machine on him (use when needed). Occasional dips are normal for him, the portable O2 machine get him back up, but this time the reading remained around 86 SpO2.
With no change after a couple of minuets I decided to take him to hospital. While low, this was NOT an emergency.
He got dressed and I got the electric scooter to ride to car instead of walking, with the portable O2 machine pumping away.
When he got in car I checked again: 78 SpO2 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Instead of going a top quality hospital, I quickly drove him to closest (which does have very good ER).
At the ER it was reading in low 70's (72? things got crazy), his nose and underside of saw was a deep bluish purple(!!!!).
He had a virulent case of pneumonia and typical masks pushing 6 L/m of O2 was not enough, they put a ventilator tube down his air pipe and forced the O2 in.
The good news is he recovered and is back home with his wife. Unfortunately his normal O2 level is high 80 to low 90's.
What I discovered talking with ER docs was as the bodies O2 level decreases it shuts down capillaries to extremities and the finger type sensors above or the disposable soft fold tape on ones the hospital uses like the one below are not as accurate.
Instead of taping the above on a finger, they stuck it on his forehead!
Despite the sensor and LED light being about an inch apart, the monitor could read it just fine!
(image for example, this one is made for forehead reading)
So it is possible the Apple Watch could easily read SpO2.
I would have purchased an Apple Watch on the spot (and new iPhone too) if it did. Last year the wrist type SpO2 cost over $200, they are now about $100 and up, so the AW would have been a good price.
I am still ready to get AW the moment it has that feature!
SpO2 on AW is good for more than elderly with diminished lung capacity.
Mountain climbers and skiers need to be aware of O2
Small plane pilots have to watch O2
People who work around hazardous gasses can use it (like CO or excessive CO2 concentration)
Add the activity here.
I hope Apple will get the approval to make it happen soon, I am asking for it, money ready.
#SpO2onAppleWatch
