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Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - Printable Version

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Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - DenverCard - 04-20-2020

Here's an interesting article about detecting Covid-19 pneumonia earlier.  However, the article did not discuss what is to be done when there are signs of hypoxia prior to other indications of acute distress.  As well, given the overburdened hospitals, and the numerous stories I've read about patients being sent home with milder hypoxia, I fear there might not be sufficient capacity to provide more aggressive treatment earlier.

So you get the decontamination wipes.  And then the masks.  And next the thermometer. And then the pulse oximeter.  Is a tank of home oxygen the next must-have?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/opinion/coronavirus-testing-pneumonia.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

RE: Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - magnus - 04-20-2020

We got a pulse ox from Amazon first week of March.  Plenty of options/models.   Prices seemed reasonable.  2 weeks later,  went online to look for one for relatives and prices had jumped 25-50% and fewer options.   Checked again last week and still in shorter supply. 

On the other hand,  i just recently learned that newer Samsung Galaxies and i think Iphones can measure oxygen saturation (though not sure how accurately,  probably good enough for rough estimate), so many might already have one. 

BTW, i think most hospitals in the US are far from overburdened.  Many are under self/government imposed restrictions,  rightly so,  just in case a surge happens but unless you're in one of the outbreak areas,  there are probably many doctors with possibly nothing to do.

RE: Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - oldalum - 04-20-2020

I'd be grateful to learn, specifically which aspects of treatment for someone with early Covid pneumonia are effective in preventing it from becoming worse enough to require intubation and a ventilator?

RE: Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - magnus - 04-20-2020

(04-20-2020, 02:21 PM)oldalum Wrote:  I'd be grateful to learn, specifically which aspects of treatment for someone with early Covid pneumonia are effective in preventing it from becoming worse enough to require intubation and a ventilator?

The only thing I could gather from the article about treatment was:

Quote:There are other things we can do as well to avoid immediately resorting to intubation and a ventilator. Patient positioning maneuvers (having patients lie on their stomach and sides) opens up the lower and posterior lungs most affected in Covid pneumonia. Oxygenation and positioning helped patients breathe easier and seemed to prevent progression of the disease in many cases. In a preliminary study by Dr. Caputo, this strategy helped keep three out of four patients with advanced Covid pneumonia from needing a ventilator in the first 24 hours.


So I guess, lie on your side/stomach when you sleep?

RE: Clinical considerations -- Importance of monitoring blood oxygen levels - DenverCard - 04-20-2020

What I took away from the article is that early application of oxygen and adopting a prone position (awake and while sleeping) can make a big difference.  As such, rather than to try to gut it out at home, you seek treatment if your oxygen saturation falls below 94% or 92%.  (I saw mention of both.)  The comments section attached to the NYT article, and a twitter feed -- @airwaycam -- discuss the topic further, with some useful signal amidst plenty of static.