Today’s Breathing Basics review is all about Oxygen Saturation and Oximeters.







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93 thoughts on “Breathing Basics —O2 Saturation and Oximeters

  1. So you're saying that if you have asthma, and have an asthma attack, it's normal (or at least not abnormal) for your sats to be totally normal or very near normal? All my doctors seem to be trying to tell me that if my O2 level is at 99 or 100%, that there's absolutely no way I can have asthma, no matter how tight and short of breath I am. (ok, I guess I should add that for them 99-100% O2 sat + no wheeze = no asthma, but the no wheezing is another topic I guess)

  2. That's correct. It's not uncommon to have a severe asthma flare and still have normal sats or just slightly abnormal sats, though I admit, 99-100% is rare , even if you're not flaring. I could see how a Dr would be a little suspicious.

    What often happens is that some people confuse a panic attack or hyperventilation syndrome( which can make your sats really high) with an asthma attack. A skilled physician or RT can usually tell the difference, but not always.

    The severity of an asthma attack should only be based on the patients history, their physical appearance ( accessory muscle use , etc.) PFTs ( Pfs and FEV1), breath sounds and possibly ABGs. They should never rule out asthma just because your sats are normal or you're not wheezing. The fact is, most asthmatics don't desaturate until they're on the brink of respiratory failure and some of the sickest ones don't wheeze at all. If your sats are under 92% during a flare, you are in bad shape.

    If someone is telling you that you don't have asthma just because your sats are normal, you need to go somewhere else. That just goes to show how under educated some physicians are when it comes to treating acute asthma patients(though Ive found this to be less common in emergency rooms)

      1. Depends what their normal sat is. I would expect to see a sat of 93-94 in someone who is having a pretty rough time and would want to keep a close eye on them, but in no way would I consider a sat of 93-94 to be critical. Again, sats are only a small part of the overall picture with a sick asthmatic. In some of the hospitals Ive worked at, you could be sick as a dog, but if your O2 sat was above 90%, they would not admit you too the hospital. Thankfully , that protocol is rarely used anymore.

        1. my son sits low but he gets rushed into hospital,i now type this in hospital his sats go from 99% and when sleeping drop down below 90% when o2 is off or he bumps it off,i wondered ,what was safe when he was sleeping,is anything above 94% ok

  3. The same thing happened to me! Doctor didnt beleive I have asthma because my sats were between 97-98%, and then what happened was that he undertreaded me, and then a week later I had a severe attack, and ended up on Bipap. I dont understand doctors, one minute they tell me im in bad shape , the next they say im fine. what gives?!

    1. Hi i have bronchiectasis copd grade2 and a 50% lung reduction right side.
      my sats are usually 96% average,at the monent sat readings over the last three days 94%,and i feel rough rough rough

      1. I’m very concerned because my pulse ox is 90 right now and I don’t have asthma and I’m having hard time figuring out why? Any ideas would be appreciated, I’d go to the ER probably BUT I have a stress test tomorrow so I’m kinda trying to see how that turns out.

        1. Call your pulmonary doctor. He can’t treat you over the phone usually. Sometimes they will though.if he doesn’t don’t wait. If you have a rescue inhaler, use it. Use breathing meds and go to appointment tomorrow.

    2. Why is that sometimes when I use my pulse oximeter that it can start out at with a reading of 93-94 and within 30 seconds it goes anywhere between 95-98? I don’t understand why it starts out lower but than rises. Thanks for any input.

      1. Pulse oximeters rely on a good blood supply and steady detectable pulse to get an accurate reading. If your unit has a pulse waveform display, watch it until the waveform is steady and uniform in shape. It usually takes 20-30 secs to get a steady waveform. It can also take that long for your finger to warm up to yield a good pulse.

  4. Very cool. I was trying to explain to my little one how the machine could check her oxygen…but she's 7…she just told me she didn't get it, and as long as her machine worked, it was fine. Her doctors are often baffled by her…that she'll desat spontaneously, with no apparent cause…but will have a total white out X-Ray, and have sats of 99 or 100. (we play the O2 Sat game at our house…we all take our sats, the winner gets a little treat.)

    1. O2 sats readings can be wildly erroneous if the probe is not detecting the persons pulse accurately. This happens all the time in children, as their heart rates are much faster and are much harder to pick up on the oximeter. I would never rely solely on a pulse oximeter.

      1. Hi Stephen:
        My sats never drop during an asthma flare-up…and yes, some docs seem to think you're not too bad if you don't have lower sats. Yet I can be very bad shape during these acute episodes. The general public, too, seems to think an asthmatic must have low O2 sats during an attack. So I appreciate your explanation. I do wheeze a lot, however, I have been so tight at times that there's little or no wheezing. Ironically, I do desaturate to the 80s, but from sleep apnea, not asthma! (I've now used a C-PAP for several years).

        1. Yea, thats a shared frustration. Asthma IS NOT a disease that effects ones ability to oxygenate unless it gets really severe. The symptoms of asthma are caused my narrowing or constricted airways, nothing else. Granted, if your airways clamp completely off or stay severely constricted for a long enough time, eventually your o2 sat will drop, but the biggest concern is that your CO2 ( waste product gas) will increase.

        2. Did you get tested for reflex or vocal cord dysfunction.Vocal cords wheeze and stick can cause breathing problems. Caused from Gerd. Gastro esophagus reflux disease. It is really a serious problem. But with physical therapy they will teach a controlling method to get you breathing again. My twenty year old had all of this and asthma. She probably will eventually outgrow this. Not as bad for her as when she was a young girl.
          See a pulmonologist. He will put a camera from her nose down to vocal cords and have her exercise and will watch what happens. Very tolerable for a child. ?Hope I helped you out.

      2. I don’t rely on it solely at all. We use it when she turns blue…so that her pulmo has a number on record, or if she’s actively flaring. I’m actually going to return the one they are renting us back to the respiratory equipment co, because they didn’t give me a pedi probe…so I would have to do several checks to get an O2 reading along with a pulse that was accurate…if the pulse isn’t accurate, I don’t even look at the O2 reading. I ended up purchasing a pediatric monitor that is FAR more accurate…and much more portable.

        I hope that you get to feeling better soon, feeling that elephant on your chest is such a terrible feeling.

  5. I always wondered about pulse oximeters. What happens if you are wearing nail polish – wouldn't that affect the color spectrum analysis? Plus, I have always wondered what happens if your pulse rate goes really high, how does it manage. Sounds like, from your explanation, that it does make a difference. Thanks for a very information posting.

    1. You\’re correct about fingernail polish, it can make it difficult to obtain an accurate reading.
      The way to tell if a pulse ox reading is correct, is to check the pulse manually and see if it jives with the pulse reading on the oximeter. Most meters will not display a sat reading unless there\’s a good steady pulse.

  6. Apparently my sats do drop – my Doc just Rx'ed O2, prn. O.o I feel very weird staring at the machine in my house. I am a weird asthmatic, Stephen. Maybe I really do need to do SARP.

  7. I'm the asthmatic with the low SATS! But you knew that!
    On air I run at around the high 80s. On 2L O2, about 94/5 % I use O2 overnight on 3.5L and wake up around the 96% mark. In the day I use my O2 PRN but 24/7 when my asthma is exacerbating-so i'm pretty much on it all the time now, but because I've had a bad lung infection, I'm only sitting around the 92/3% mark.

    Great topic and great comments though! xx

  8. I should also point out that O2 saturation can dip from time to time without any problems.Most people desaturate ( a couple points) when they sleep. It's only becomes a concern when youre having breathing problems at the same time. Here in the USA , a saturation of 92% or above is considered more or less OK. In fact, most insurance companies, including medicare, will not pay for home oxygen unless your room air saturation is 88% or lower.

  9. 99-100% is a little high, even in a non-asthmatic, 92-95% is more realistic. But yes, sats can be normal during an exacerbation. Asthma is not a disease of the alveoli ( where oxygen exchange takes place) , it\’s a disease of the airways. O2 saturations are usually the last thing to drop during a severe flare. A sat dropping below 90% in an asthmatic patient would be a true emergency.

    1. The readings I’m getting is between 93 to 95, and infrequently 96 and 97 if I am lucky. I assume the higher the number (97, 98, or 100) is preferred. Is this correct? Then to raise the level if its too low at 93 to 95, would any special dieting help or exercise? Thanks

  10. hi ive been too A and E this week due to asthma. i had a terrible experience. i couldnt breathe despite my inhalers and called an ambulance. the paramedics were judgemental saying they thought it was a panic attack because my oxygen sats levels were 100 percent. my peak flow was down. however they put me as a low priority and it was awful. in the end the doctor said she didnt know if it was anxiety, asthma or a chest infection and put me on antibiotics. im so angry i have suffered with asthma my whole life and because of my sats levels they assumed it was panic. i am going to complain

    1. So sorry to hear that you were treated so poorly. This happens all the time and I hope you complain. It is rare that an O2 sat would be a 100% during a severe flare, but it is possible. O2 sat is usually the last thing to drop during an attack. It\’s also possible to have asthma and anxiety at the same time, One can cause the other. Do you have a resp consultant? You should have them write a letter on your behalf. You might consider joining my Facebook asthma group . Hope you feel better soon.

    2. Hi all

      I had EXACTLY the same problem. I was admitted to hospital and had 98% SAT’s and the Dr’s were a nasty bunch, basically told me to do one and that it was a panic attack.

      Cue me feeling like dirt wondering why I was suddenly starting to have panic attacks with no ihaler and time off work because I could do anything without being short of breath.

      I am now suffering again with my Asthma, really bad for me this time 3 weeks in and it’s hurting to breathe in – I also have the lovely chipmunk voice!

      My white blood cell count is high, so I’m poorly, but they dont know what with and yet every time I have that sat reading, even when they do the reading before the nebuliser I am at min 96% and after nebs 98 – 100%.

      It’s not right that so many people have to suffer and feel as though it’s kinda in their head. I had to have am appointment to be signed back to work after I was hospitalised and it was my Dr that told me that in fact I had a chest infection and had had a nasty asthma attack. I got the meds I needed a week after I was admitted.

      So all I can say to those out there that think a good SATS reading means we are hypercondriacs is GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

  11. I just wanted to add, I used to be 99-100% on room air when healthy and would rarely desat. In 2006 I caught a nasty bug in Paris on vacation and my O2 started slipping. Since 2010’s severe episode, my sats are much more sensitive and a minor asthma flare up that doesn’t require anything other than an albuterol inhaler dose might push me down to 97% (one happened to coincide with a doc visit which is how I know).

    My guess is the wear and tear of the asthma on my lungs is showing as I age.

  12. I wouldn’t get too fixated at on O2 sats. Normal values range from 96-100% while breathing room air and these numbers also decrease as we get older.

  13. What happens if the paramedics determine that your O2 Saturation is at 90% due to an asthma attack? Just how serious does asthma become after that point?

    I recently helped a victim who developed an asthma attack and it was almost frightning to see the person struggle for air even after multiple uses of the inhaler and drinking liquid benedryl straight up. I’ve got to admit I was afraid the victim was going to go into cardiac arrest. But then, firefighters on a fire truck came and helped; followed by the EMS.

  14. So, should I be concerned if my o2 sats were just recorded at 89-90% at the clinic, while feeling relatively no S.O.B? I have asthma, and have a virus right now (which flares my asthma), and had a relatively bad coughing fit this morning before the appointment. The appt. was for something else, but they checked my sats and the nurse didn’t like the reading, tried both hands and it was the same. The doctor didn’t even mention it though.

    I recall when I was first diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis, I had pneumonia and didn’t know it, made a regular clinic appointment for what I assumed was just my normal bronchitis, and my 02 was like 78. I walked into the room and the nurse took one look at me, left the room to get the pulse ox, came back and measured it. Got that level, and went to get the oxygen tank. I was actually terrified. I had noticed I was out of breath a lot, and that I needed to sit down after walking across the room or up the stairs, etc. But I didn’t think it was that bad! They also nebbed me that visit.

    Since then I’ve had a methacholine challenge done and it was a pretty strong positive for asthma. But I still only notice it when I’m sick.

    I wonder if it’s time for me to move on from the rescue inhaler to a neb at home for when I’m sick? I’ve been hitting the inhaler a lot because it allows me to get a deep enough breath to be able to cough out what I feel that I need to cough out. So I guess really I *am* somewhat short of breath.

    In short, I’m just a bit concerned that my reading was that low today, but I guess if I had an attack this morning it’d be normal. I don’t know.

    1. I wouldn’t be too worried about your sat. Hopefully it will bounce back when you get over your virus.

      Asthmatics rarely desaturate from an asthma flare itself, unless they’re on the verge of respiratory failure or a resp arrest.

      If your sats readings continue to be low you should probably have a complete work up done.

  15. I have been on home oxygen for 4 months following pulmanary embulisms. The doctors expect me to get off it eventually…but don’t know when. The process was slowed down by fluid around my lungs. I am 72. I still work full time…(except for the last 4 months). My job is very physically demanding (for an over weight old lady)… lots of walking….short distances. I also have asthma and COPD…I don’t need oxygen for either. I want to go back to work. I just don’t. Seem to be able to get my oxygen to stay high enough to do that. I sat in my chair yesterday with no oxygen for about 6 hours…but couldn’t walk in the hallway because it would drop too low. This morning I tried to walk and the same thing. I can sit here with no oxygen and sats are between 96% and 98%. Put my canula on with two litters of. Oxygen and Go into the hallway to do my walking and it goes down to 94% to 92% and. sometimes 90%.. I have been told not to let it go below 92. I keep wondering if there is something I can do. Doctors say its just time. Any ideas?

    1. Hello, It’s very difficult for me to tell you what’s going on with your oxygenation based on what little I know about you. I can tell you though, that it’s not uncommon for people with COPD and asthma to desaturate when they exert themselves, especially if you’re still recovering from an exacerbation, or as you said, fluid around your lungs. While exercise is definitely good,you should probably be using your O2 when you’re doing it. I wish I could tell you that your sats will return to normal again, but I just dont know.

      I wish you the best!

  16. i posted wrong,will re post to fix,

    December 1, 2012 at 4:47 pm
    i need to know if when anyone sleeping with Chronic Lung Disease



      1. So it means the low saturation oxygen is under 92/borderline I have diagnosed with mild obstructive pulmonary disease and my 02 records ocassionaly 97% mostly 93 -94 percent

      2. I’m stressed but I wouldn’t say that I’m having a hard time breathing BUT my oxygen sats the last 2-3 weeks have been fluctuating from 89-94 they do go up to 97 but I have to take deep breaths through my nose and focus, I have 3 different finger pulse ox’s and they all seem to be consistent, one sounds an alarm when I’m 93 or below, I’m scared do I need to be? What could be causing this ALL
        of a sudden… if it’s consistently 90-93 am I in Danger? I’m sorry to flood you with my panic but no one can seem to give me answers not docs not ER’s and I have no insurance either…. a little info I do Have a fast resting heart beat ALL the time and I take Atenolol to make that normal (75-85) BUT here the last week it seems to be 95-115 all the time even on Atenolol.

  17. Stephen:



  18. Thanks … this makes a lot more sense now 🙂 wasn’t always sure what the cut off was. I knew the last time i was in and I was only sitting at 90-1 that wasn’t good … but was a little to busy to ask questions at that time 🙂

    Kelly 🙂


  19. My grandson diagnosed with pneumonia. No chest x-ray. Saturating 98% in office. Was put on Z-Pak. Had very bad night. Still having trouble breathing. Saturations today running 95 to 93. I know it takes 48 hrs for Z-Pak to kick in. Should I call doctor back or take to the ER or just give it another day?

  20. Thank you for this clear and concise description on this. I have suffered from CHF for over 10 years now and never really understood what pulse ox was. I recently was in the hospital and when they drew for blood gases my O2 sat was 47%. This was not mentioned to me at all on discharge. Is this something I should be concerned with? Maybe not knowing is sometimes a good thing???

  21. I have copd and blood clots in my lung and I am on oxygen not all the time at night most of the time.My oxygen level is about 95 sometimes 94 I am on predisone 10mg every day I still fight to breath .

  22. Hi , I had a Pulse oximetry on my doctor visit and read 98 % ! Then I read that if u wear nail polish (pink color ) is could not be accurate ! She had no problem getting an accurate reading ! So is a reason to doubt the reading ? Thank you !

  23. Hi,actually i was trying to figure out the duration it will take for a normal adult for the oxygen to saturate?.generally our breathing rate will be 12-20 breaths/min so for per second its around 0.333 breaths/ for oxygenation and deoxygenation its half of that na?its almost for 1 breath it will take 3 secs…so how could it be possible for pulse oximeter to show spo2 level always grater than 95% will take almost 1.5sec for complete saturation of blood

    1. Pulse oximeters dont measure oxygen saturation directly. They have an emitter and receiver that measures how much light is absorbed in capillaries , above and below the finger where the unit is placed, and then an algorithmic is applied which estimated saturation. The sat is calculated over time based on the frequency and strength of the pulse reading… hence pulse oximeter.

  24. Brittle asthmatic with spo level of 93-94% crackle in chest taking doxcycycline and 40mg of prednisolone not overly concerned as yet but what stage would be cause for concern (been asthmatic for many years but just recently used spo meter and just curious when infection free normally get 99% give or take 1

  25. Hi I sufferry with C.o.p.d I’ve bought a oxymeter and don’t understand the reading the top number was78 and the bottom was 95 is this ok

  26. I went in with asthma attack today and have an upper respitory infection. My pulse of was 88 upon arrival and now are around 92 after breathing treatments and steroids

  27. Sat at rest room atmosphere 97%, with activity lowers to 88%. I do not feetll out of brearh, but lightheaded. Diagnosed few days ago with Brinchiolitis. Will my O2 Sat get to normal level so that I can resume work and ADLS? ?? Or will I have t o use a O2 for ever ???

  28. There are many types of bronchiolitis, some worse than others. Without knowing more about your overall condition I cant really answer that. But in general, you should only need supplemental oxygen if your sats are consistently under 90% . As far as it effecting your ability to work, it probably depends on the type of work.

  29. I have hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. My O2 goes down to about 88 0r 89 on effort. It comes up again if I rest, though I can feel quite rough for a while. How long is is OK to keep going with something that requires physical effort with my reading at 89?

  30. Not knowing more about your health status, thats a tough call. 89% is only mildy low, as long as you dont drop lower, you’re probably OK. If you’re gonna be doing sustained activity like jogging or something, it would probably be smart to use supplemental O2. Dropping your sat too low for too long can tax your other organs.
    Take care

    1. The guy I did one of the Boston marathon with who has severe emphysema , was able to walk the 26 miles hauling a 100 trailer filled with liquid oxygen canisters. In order to keep his sats above 90%, he had to use 16-18 lpm of nasal o2. It took us 7 hours to complete the race so you can imagine the workout. Other than being sore from the trek, he had no ill effects afterwards.

  31. Hi. My Oxygen level fell to 42% during a a same day procedure. Needless to say that I ended up in respiratory failure and intubated for 10 days. I’m being told that this condition which resulted not only in seizures but memory loss was caused by a drug to drug interaction (Zoloft and General Anesthesia).
    I’m trying to figure out how long it takes (in seconds or minutes) for the saturation levels to fall so low as I am aware that anything over 6 minutes of compromised oxygen delivery to the brain can result in detrimental damage to brain cells. Do you by chance know how long it would take for oxygen levels to fall to 42%?

    1. Thanks for the response. Would you happen to know or have you heard of General Anesthesia by administered through an endotracheal tube?

      1. There are several types of anesthetic gases that are administered through an ET tube. Actually, anytime you have an ET tube in place while anesthetized , is considered general anesthesia.

  32. What if your normal pulse of is at 93? I am a 34 year old male in good health. I take my pulse ox regularly, and it’s usually between 93-96.

  33. Hi Anthony, Anything over 92% is actually considered normal . O2 sats can vary a few percentage points throughout the day and with different activities. Also remember that pulse oximeters require a good strong and steady pulse waveform to be accurate, and even then they can be off. You might get a reading of 99% on one oximeter and 95% on another. So, it best to watch the trends, rather that constantly spot checking.

  34. My son is in a coma on a vent, his etco2 reading is 40 but his spo2 level gets down to 90% but usually maintains 93-94%.-he has edema from being in a coma for such a long time. I know that swelling can effect the pulse ox reading. Is it normal to have low etco2 and low spo2?

    1. Sorry to hear about your son. Without knowing more about his medical condition, it’s impossible to say, but an etco2 of 40 is actually normal to slightly elevated. Many times if the patient has been on a ventilator for a long time, the doctors will adjust the vent settings to maintain a slighter higher pco2 ( referred to as permissive hypercarbia). Regarding the o2 sats, yes, edema can can cause sats to fluctuate .

  35. my grandfather is on oxygen and its set on 4 he has copd and he is having a bad flare up i took his oxygen and it 93 is that good or bad

  36. In short My problem is — FALL IN BASELINE SPO2  AFTER PNEUMONIA… My mother is a 50 year old lady with asthma COPD overlap syndrome.. when I asked doctor in detail he told me that  she’s basically asthmatic but due to her smoking history and what she told in her first checkup 2 years  ago they wrote  acos which is a term not very clearly defined.. she doesn’t have emphysema … she stopped smoking in her early 20’s.. this year she had an  Asthama attack and caught klebsiella pneumoniae infection in the hospital.. . Now she’s recovering but her baseline spo2 has fallen from 95 to 93… Before pneumonia her average oxymerer readings used to be 95 but now they’re 93.. also her blood tests show 93-94 SPO2…. In between these events one of her ABG report showed 95% SPO2 and doc said it was her best till then… Now my question is if she can get to her normal SPO2 level in future ??? I’m afraid cause baseline SPO2 level less than 90 means getting bedridden with oxygen therapy…



  39. My 02 sat goes goes from 98 to 95 anf stays around 95 while my wife’s stay at 98 97 solid. Im 32 56 155. I get short of breath a lot and I call the ambulance. When they get there I always check out very well. I have been diagnosed with panic attacks when I was a child. Any information or guidance helps.

  40. I have been fainting regularly for 8years. My Sat’s are about 80-82%. But then I pick up again. My cardiologist and respiratory Dr can find no cause. They have identified that I go as low as 74% at night. They feel I do not need supplementary oxygen as I am coping. I have Duhring’s disease but they say that is not an issue.. Q1 should I press for supplementary oxygen. Q2. Do you thing Duhring’s would be a possible issue. Thank you for your time, Di

  41. I have NSIP my O2 seats are 90/93% at rest but can fall to 65% and take 2/3mins to get back up
    I use an oxygen story set at 5 for excersising and an enogenOne G3 when out walking setting 5
    I feel like it is getting easier to breathe the more I walk/excersise .

  42. I am trying to figure out if I have asthma or pneumonia or some other lung issue, or if it’s anxiety. I had flu-like illness 2 weeks ago (fever 101, severe headache, etc), and after fever was gone I started experiencing shortness of breath (like I need to constantly take deep breath). No fever, no cough, just some stuffy nose right now. If I start thinking about breathing, I start hyperventilating (stuffy nose adds to the feeling of suffocation). I am prone to anxiety, so I don’t know if anxiety is causing it or something else causing it, etc. My pulse oximeter is pretty steady at 99. Pulse seems to go up when I stand up (I haven’t exercised for a while). I bought pick flow test (blew into it, and it shows over the average good results). I am now scared of driving or going places because I start thinking about my breath and get panicked. When I am distracted (at work or watching tv), I don’t think about breathing and it doesn’t bother me much. I used to have anemia (not sure if that’s happening again, I used to have panic and hyperventilation with it, but never such a continuous compulsion to take a deep breath). I also have Hashimoto and on thyroid meds, not sure if that’s contributing to shortness of breath. I looked up everything online regarding pneumonia, copd, asthma, etc. Our house is dusty, and I usually get sensitive to dust and molds, but never like this. If it was pneumonia or copd, wouldn’t oximeter show the lower numbers? If it was asthma, wouldn’t my pickflow tool show low reading? Do you have any suggestions on which direction to go with this or what this might be? Thank you

  43. Thanks for your reply. One more question. In general, could oximeter always detect pneumonia? And can pick flow instrument always detect Asthma? I am new to the tools, just trying to rule out a couple of things before I spend lots of money on doctors and tests.

  44. I been having very bad panic attacks and anxiety. I been to the hospital several of time and they did cat scan x-rays blood work but not abg. I ddint notice sob until anxiety never bothered and still have anxiety 02 sat while sitting and lying 98 and after walking to but if I’m in the house just moving around the sat say 93 and then about 45 seconds back to 98 seen pulmonary Dr today and set up for test heart doctor said nothing is wrong with my heart. My anxiety has me were I don’t breath properly and check sat over a 100 times a day what do you think could be causing also pulmonary Dr said today that every thing looks good but we will still do test

  45. I have a question. Before I was using a CPAP I was sleepy and feeling exhausted most of the time. My pre-CPAP sleep study oximetry summary stated, “The average oxygen saturation was 96 while awake, and 91 while asleep. The patient had severe oxygen desaturation to as low as 47%. 34% of the study had oxygen saturation below 90.” Would that level of desaturation, caused by sleep apnea, be severe enough to have caused my sleepiness and exhaustion plus a feeling of just being sick every morning? I am feeling a lot better now that I have my auto-CPAP.

  46. What about an allergic reaction? As in suspected anaphylaxis? How fast will the sats decrease and because of the urgency of the reaction how fast will the levels drop and how urgent is it?

    1. Anaphylaxsis, usually has a very fast onset, usually within minutes and yes, sats can plummet just as fast. Regardless of the sat readings, which not be accurate, if the person is having a hard time breathing, this is a medical emergency and should be treated urgently. If this person has suspected allergies, they should be carrying an epi pen and medic alert bracelets. Be safe!

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