Pulse oximeters are noninvasive devices that measure oxygen saturation levels in the blood. They work by using light absorption through the skin to estimate how much oxygen is being carried by red blood cells.

In sleep medicine, pulse oximeters play a significant role in diagnosing and managing sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep specialists use pulse oximeters to monitor these fluctuations throughout the night, identifying patterns that could indicate sleep apnea or other respiratory issues. By tracking blood oxygen saturation and heart rate, pulse oximeters help physicians understand the severity of a patient’s sleep disorder and tailor appropriate treatments.

Portable pulse oximeters are also commonly used in home sleep testing. Allowing patients to monitor their oxygen levels in the comfort of their own homes can facilitate efficacy checks on sleep apnea therapy, as well as longitudinal management.

After becoming indispensable during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, pulse oximeters came under renewed scrutiny for health equity deficits, as many can give inaccurate readings for people with dark skin tones.

Pulse oximeters that are cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meet a minimum average accuracy, validated through desaturation studies on healthy patients for blood gas levels for saturations ranging from 70%-100%. The standard accuracy, denoted as Accuracy Root Mean Square (ARMS), for recently approved pulse oximeters falls within 2% to 3% of arterial blood gas values.

This guide to FDA-cleared pulse oximeters compares devices on parameters including form factor, SpO2 accuracy, pulse rate accuracy, battery life, and more.