Doctor Khukhrev: you should not smoke before measuring oxygen saturation, otherwise the indicator will be underestimated from radio Sputnik named errors in measuring saturation.
According to him, in a healthy person, the oxygen content in the blood should exceed 93 percent, the average figure is 96-99 percent. With inflammatory processes in the lungs, saturation decreases, therefore this indicator is important in the diagnosis of coronavirus infection. In order for a pulse oximeter to give correct readings, a number of rules must be followed.
For example, you should not smoke before measuring oxygen saturation. According to the specialist, smoking can constrict blood vessels and the indicator will be underestimated. In addition, before inserting your finger into the pulse oximeter, you should wipe the nail polish off your nails.
Khukhrev urged not to measure the saturation level immediately after entering a warm room from the cold. “On a cold hand from the frost, all the capillaries are in spasm, from this the fingers turn white. Saturation on a “white” finger will be significantly lower than on a warm finger, ”the doctor emphasized. The same happens with dehydration.
In addition, the accuracy of the reading also depends on the person's posture. The therapist advised using the oximeter while sitting. “If we lie, especially on our back, the stomach limits the volume of the lungs, this is called the 'restrictive effect', that is, the lungs cannot expand, as when a person is sitting or standing,” he explained.
Previously, the head physician network of clinics “K + 31”, Candidate of Medical Sciences Boris Churadze told what drugs are prohibited for taking in case of coronavirus. According to him, infection with COVID-19 is not an indication for the prescription of antibiotics. Churadze explained that patients with COVID-19 often have a bacterial infection, but antibiotics should not be prescribed until this stage.