In a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning, what would a therapist expect the oximeter to indicate?

In carbon monoxide poisoning, the binding of carbon monoxide to hemoglobin creates carboxyhemoglobin, which affects the oxygen transport capabilities of the blood. Oximeters typically measure the amount of oxygen bound to hemoglobin by interpreting the absorption of light at specific wavelengths. However, these devices cannot differentiate between normal hemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin. As a result, the oximeter may falsely indicate higher saturation levels because it will register the presence of carboxyhemoglobin as if it were normal oxygen-bound hemoglobin.

This misleading reading gives an illusion of adequate oxygen levels despite the patient being hypoxic due to inadequate oxygen delivery to tissues. Therefore, in a patient suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, one would expect the oximeter to indicate higher saturation levels even though the patient may be experiencing significant hypoxia and clinical signs of poisoning. This highlights the limitation of oximeters in certain situations and underscores the importance of clinical judgment and additional diagnostic methods when evaluating patients with suspected carbon monoxide exposure.