se oximeter on a brown hand

Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter

/ Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter

 

Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter

Get your affordable Pulse Oximeter here: https://amzn.to/3xCF739

 

Covid-19 takes an Unequal Toll

During the pandemic, people of color have been more likely to get Covid-19 and more likely to be hospitalized with it, compared to non-hispanic white people. That’s one reason it’s so urgent to work together to help stop the spread.

Source: Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention

Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter/Dark Skinned people’s Oximeter Result shows Racial Bias 

Finger pulse oximeter on a brown hand

My Zacurate Pulse Oximeter/Photo Credit: Maqsuda Kabir

 

Product Features 

 
Zacurate 500C Finger Pulse Oximeter is Amazon’s Best Seller! It’s a small rectangular monitor that clips onto your one finger and reads oxygen level and pulse rate. It’s a cool digital tool affordable by all. Amazon customers of Zacurate Pulse oximeter posted thousands of near 5 star reviews. Some negative reviews were also noted. The pulse oximeter provides quick and accurate results. Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter used by both children and adults (age 12 years and above). This pulse oximeter is an at-home tool for spot-checking blood oxygen level and pulse rate. The oximeter is not for continuous oxygen monitoring.  For best results, use an oximeter at rest only in a sitting position.  The recommended best finger to use is the right middle finger. Per published articles, key things to avoid are: use of dark nail polish (blue, green or black), artificial fingernail, henna/tattoo art, shaking, and cold, wet, and sweaty fingers. Some other uncommon factors: dark skin color or pigmentation, smoking and living in high altitude. The use of a pulse oximeter is a pain free experience. You insert one finger in the finger chamber clamp and it reads-out the result within seconds. It has a built-in auto-off feature once the finger is out. Some uncommon pulse oximeter application sites are: toenail beds, earlobes, forehead and lip. These site-specific sensors are available by medical manufacturers.  
An alarming hospital study showed overestimated blood oxygen levels in darker skin people. This means that darker skinned patients were three times more likely than white patients to have a false normal oxygen level result. But the actual oxygen saturation result on the darker patient was confirmed to be 2-3 points lower after an invasive lab called ABG (Arterial blood gas) was done. Sadly, this study proved that pulse oximeters miscalculate blood oxygen levels on dark skinned patients.  
 
I am a brown woman of color and this racial-bias product study result is very alarming and worrisome. People of dark skin color are outraged and want a quick solution to prevent further inequity of medical treatment. I am hopeful that there will soon be a non biased pulse oximeter available by manufacturers. A pulse oximeter that doesn’t discriminate against one’s skin color! 
 
The Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter is a prescription free product. This portable digital monitor is available over-the-counter (OTC) or online. It is usually purchased from a drug store, medical supply store or any online site like Amazon. It’s sold to the public, pre-existing lung disease patients, sports enthusiasts and aviators (flyers) as a general wellness product. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, with  high demand for an at-home pulse oximeter, it might be easier to buy online. Nowadays, the oximeter is used to spot-check early warning signs of Covid-19.  Since the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, it seems most household members are owners of an oximeter. A pulse oximeter has become a household name and part of a first-aid medical toolkit. The at-home oximeter is not intended for medical purposes. Most home oximeters have not been evaluated by the FDA to diagnose or treat. Thus, always contact your health care provider for worsening symptoms or oximeter results. 
 
On a personal level, I am a Grateful Lung Transplant Recipient and a Registered Nurse (RN). I have been a very satisfied owner of a Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter for seven years. I love that it is very simple to use, provides accurate results and is a cool on-the-go oxygen tool. I always felt so relieved during my pre-transplant days that I could take my oximeter everywhere. It fits inside my purse or pocket. During Covid-19 pandemic, I purchased a new Zacurate 500C Finger Pulse Oximeter. This to avoid using one oximeter with different family members to prevent cross-contamination. Household member with one pulse oximeter, disposable finger gloves used to prevent cross-contamination. 
 
I continue to use my Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter for good lung health maintenance. As a Registered Nurse (RN), I have always used the hospital-grade finger pulse oximeters. They are FDA approved and regulated. The hospital-grade oximeters are clinically tested for accuracy. These prescribed oximeters are usually used in hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices. But can also be prescribed for home-setting.  In a hospital or clinic using an oximeter to check oxygen level is part of a routine health assessment. It’s known as the fifth vital sign. As we all know, vital signs also include: temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure.
 
At-home pulse oximeter is a valuable medical tool to have especially during Covid-19. It seems to have become a necessity for the layperson. The oximeter displays two results. It shows oxygen level and a pulse rate or heart rate. Normal blood oxygen level for a healthy individual at rest is between 95%-100%. And a normal pulse rate ranges from 60-100 beats per minute. Some common guidelines to follow are: when oxygen level drops below 92%, call your health care provider for an evaluation. But if your blood oxygen level drops below 88%, get immediate medical attention. Always discuss your individual results with a healthcare provider for early diagnosis and treatment. Incorrect use and faulty reading of a home pulse oximeter is always a possibility. It’s important to keep track of changes in your physical symptoms with any changes in oxygen reading.  If still in doubt, check your oximeter result accuracy on a healthy family member.
 
It is always a good idea to establish a baseline of your oxygen level with your healthcare provider. Your medical provider can assess your pre-existing medical conditions and provide a baseline. Any pre-existing illnesses (i.e. asthma, COPD, anemia, heart failure, sleep apnea, smoker & obesity) discuss with your provider. These illnesses can affect your baseline oxygen level on an oximeter. Your healthcare provider will help to establish a new baseline. For example, as a pre-lung transplant patient, my baseline oxygen level on my oximeter was 87%-89%. This was due to chronic lung disease per my Physician. Thus my low oxygen saturation level with a lung disease was a new acceptable baseline. Also, it’s always a good idea to test your pulse oximeter with your doctor’s office or clinic. This is to compare the accuracy of the result. The Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter provides great service for good lung health maintenance.   
 

FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Safety Communication for patients and healthcare providers

“The FDA has issued a safety communication today to inform the public and health care providers of the limitations of these devices and to encourage individuals to pay close attention to all of their health symptoms, particularly if they are experiencing signs of low oxygen saturation levels, such as shortness of breath or bluish coloring of the face, lips, or nails. Patients should contact their health care providers with any concerns about increasing or worsening symptoms.

While pulse oximeters may be useful for estimating blood oxygen levels, these devices have limitations that can result in inaccurate readings. Patients with conditions such as Covid-19. The FDA uses a variety of data sources, including review of scientific literature, reports of adverse events and device malfunctions, and routine inspections of medical device manufacturing facilities, to monitor the safety and effectiveness of marketed medical devices. We will continue to monitor these sources for events associated with prescription pulse oximeters and are committed to keeping the public apprised of any significant new information.”

– Maisel, M.D., MPH, Director of the Office of Product Evaluation and Quality, in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Related Article

Pulse Oximetry

https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/pulse-oximetry

Pulse Oximeter Accuracy and Limitations: FDA Safety Communication

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/pulse-oximeter-accuracy-and-limitations-fda-safety-communication

 

Customer Reviews: Pros & Cons of Zacurate Finger Pulse Oximeter

 

Pros: 

  • Quick results display
  •  Smart interface: displays oxygen level & pulse rate
  • Accurate
  • Results matches Doctors office numbers
  • Compact size & Portable
  • Light Weight
  • Easy to use (can use right out of the box on new orders – two AAA batteries included)
  • Also includes silicon cover to protect oximeter and black coal lanyard for convenience
  • Affordable 
  • Used by chronic lung/heart disease patients, sports and fitness enthusiasts, aviators and general healthy population
  • Trusted & used by healthcare professionals
  • Dimensions: 2.25″ x  1.2″x 1.25″
  • Alarm & beep function
  • Auto power off in 8 seconds (once finger-out from oximeter chamber clamp) to save batteries
  • Multi-directional LED screen display option (reads results in six different angles for convenience)
  • Silicon finger chamber is hypoallergenic  & latex free
  • Adjustable bright display during daytime or nighttime
  •  Used by children & adults (ages 12 and up)
  • One year warranty with remote tech support in USA Only
  • Free shipping & return
  • Can use self funded tax-advantaged accounts (FSA or HSA) to buy pulse oximeter

 

Cons:

  •  Battery operated only
  • No GPS or any form of tracking
  • No carrying case included (comes with a silicon cover & lanyard)
  • No continuous reading on LED display (only one time reading)
  • Blinking issues
  • Customer review: “Didn’t work right out of the box”
  • Customer review: “Stopped working after 8 months”
  • Customer review: “Don’t trust result accuracy”
  • Customer review: “Doesn’t work on people with low oxygen level due to chronic medical issues”

                 

How to Select Best Pulse Oximeter

It’s important to know as much information as possible before you buy a home pulse oximeter. Review all customer’s pros and cons pulse oximeter experience. Ask your trusted health care providers for recommendations. The end goal is to be able to make an informed decision about buying the best pulse oximeter. FDA continues to work closely with medical manufacturers, software engineers, medical providers and labs and any other parties involved to analyze how different skin pigmentation affects pulse oximeter accuracy. The FDA will keep the public informed once an update is available.

Nurses Choice

 

                                                        

“Dependable & Accurate”                      

Zacurate 500C Finger Pulse Oximeter

Get your affordable Pulse Oximeter here: https://amzn.to/3xCF739

Check Price
 
 
Affiliate Disclaimer
The links in this blog are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to buy, I will earn a small commission. I also plan to donate a small amount to lung transplant related organizations. This commission comes at no extra cost to you. I have many years of experience using this product. I recommend it because it’s reliable, accurate, simple to use and can often save lives. When using products for self-monitoring, always coordinate care with your healthcare provider. Please do not buy this product unless you need it. 
 
Affiliate Medical Disclaimer
This medical review blog includes (text, personal images, free image, video & articles). This affiliate marketing website is for informational purposes only. This medical device does not replace consulting with your healthcare provider. Contact your health care specialist with medical questions, advice, diagnosis and treatment plan. Do not delay seeking medical advice or treatment due to suggestions made on this website. This blog website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.  

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