[Anonymous]

From Instagram in response to our recent newsletter and the UA article about O2 Sat meters.

Does temperature effect the O2 sat meter and its reading?

While it does not necessarily effect the meter unless the battery is very cold. Testing cold hands can definitely cause a lower reading. In the cold our peripheral circulation is often restricted by tiny sphincter muscles in the capillaries. This helps keep the body’s main organs warm and functioning when we are cold stressed or fatigued. But this restriction in blood flow to the fingers will cause low O2 sat readings. So warm the hands before testing.

Scott Johnston

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