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.

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.

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.

Pulse oximeters clamp onto a fingertip and send light beams through the finger to estimate pulse rate as well oxygen levels of the blood. A sensor on the other side of the device receives those ...

SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published new draft guidance aimed at helping improve the accuracy and performance of pulse oximeters – ...

The Food and Drug Administration's recommendations apply to pulse oximeters, which are clip-on devices used in hospitals and medical clinics to ensure patients are getting enough oxygen.