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Blood Gases
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Common Questions
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1. Can this test be done in a doctor’s office?
2. I’ve had pneumonia before and currently have asthma. Why has my doctor never ordered this test on me?
3. Is there any other way to measure my oxygen levels?
1. Can this test be done in a doctor’s office?
Blood gas measurements, performed by trained personnel, are usually done in a hospital, emergency room, or large laboratory setting since the analysis should be done immediately after sample collection and specialized equipment is required. Most doctors do not have such capabilities in their offices.
2. I’ve had pneumonia before and currently have asthma. Why has my doctor never ordered this test on me?
Most cases of pneumonia or asthma can be diagnosed by symptoms and monitored by listening to your chest sounds or by examining the results of spirometry tests or chest x-rays. Most of the time, asthma will respond to your usual medications and pneumonia to rest and possibly antibiotics. Blood gas tests may be necessary if you have severe or acute breathing problems or prolonged, chronic ones. In these cases, blood gas tests are usually done in an emergency room or hospital setting.
3. Is there any other way to measure my oxygen levels?
A pulse oximeter is a noninvasive (no needlestick to obtain a blood sample is required) way of continuously monitoring O2 saturation only. A small clip-like device (called a sensor) is attached to the end of the finger or earlobe. The sensor reads light that is transmitted through the skin. Pulse oximeters are useful for monitoring trends in O2 saturation, but their accuracy can be affected by the presence of abnormal forms of hemoglobin, like carboxyhemoglobin (present in carbon monoxide poisoning), low pulse rate due to poor perfusion, and very low levels of hemoglobin due to severe anemia.
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This article was last reviewed on
April 25, 2005.
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