Pulse oximeters don't work as well on Black patients, despite their common use
Problems with pulse oximeters have been known for decades, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that the real dangers to Black patients became clear.
The doctors and nurses didn’t believe Tomisa Starr was having trouble breathing.
Two years ago, Starr, 61, of Sacramento, California, was in the hospital for a spike in her blood pressure. She has multiple chronic health problems, including heart failure, and uses an oxygen tank at home.
But her request for supplemental oxygen while hospitalized was denied, Starr said, because readings from a pulse oximeter on her finger falsely indicated that she was getting plenty of air on her own.
Starr, who is Black, said she told the care team about research showing that the devices, which measure oxygen levels in the blood, may not work as well on people with darker skin and potentially make those patients seem healthier than they really are.
Their response, Starr said, was shocking.
Rating: 5