What does pulse oximetry measure?

Pulse oximetry measures arterial blood oxygen saturation levels. This non-invasive technology assesses how much oxygen is being carried by hemoglobin in the bloodstream, which is critical for evaluating a patient's respiratory status. A pulse oximeter uses a sensor that shines light through a part of the body, typically a fingertip or earlobe, and detects the amount of light absorbed by oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.

In clinical practice, monitoring oxygen saturation is essential for diagnosing and managing various respiratory and cardiac conditions, ensuring that the body's tissues are receiving adequate oxygen for metabolic processes. This functionality underscores the importance of regular pulse oximetry in patient care, especially among individuals with respiratory challenges or those undergoing surgery and anesthesia.

Other answers relate to different physiological parameters—blood glucose levels pertain to metabolic health, heart rate measures how many times the heart beats per minute, and blood pressure indicates the force of circulating blood on vessel walls. While all these measurements provide valuable information about a person's health, they do not specifically reflect the oxygen saturation status that pulse oximetry is designed to assess.