When is overnight pulse oximetry indicated?

Overnight pulse oximetry is particularly indicated as a screening tool for sleep-related breathing disorders. This test provides valuable insights into a patient's oxygen saturation levels during sleep, which can help identify conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. In patients with suspected sleep-disordered breathing, monitoring oxygen saturation overnight helps to assess the severity of desaturations that occur during sleep and correlates with episodes of apnea or hypopnea.

This specific application is critical because many symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorders manifest during sleep, making it difficult to assess them through standard daytime evaluations. The use of pulse oximetry in this context allows for non-invasive monitoring of oxygen levels, offering insights that can lead to appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans.

In contrast, other options address uses of pulse oximetry that may not align with the nocturnal monitoring context. For instance, diagnosing acute respiratory distress typically requires more immediate assessment methods and clinical evaluation. Assessing response to medication is usually done in a more controlled environment with closer monitoring. Similarly, while routine monitoring of patients is important, it does not specifically pertain to the overnight context essential for evaluating sleep-related breathing disorders.