The human body can survive without food for approximately three weeks and without water for about three days. How long can you survive without oxygen? Only about three minutes. These statistics demonstrate just how essential oxygen is to human life and just how serious the effects of oxygen depletion in the body can be.

1. 99 Oxygen Level Normal
2. What Does A 99% Oxygen Level Mean
3. Blood Oxygen Level Of 70
4. 99 Percent Blood Oxygen Level

A normal, healthy individual has a blood oxygen level between 95 and 100 percent. When that level is pushed up above that baseline, it’s indicative of hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen in the. Oxygen level was checked and it was 99. So why was my chest tight and I was short of breath/coughing. I take Advair 250/50 tapering on the Prednisone and now they have me on Singulair and Nasnex everyday. They sent me home no breathing treatment cause the oxygen level was fine and my x ray was normal as well. Healthy individuals at sea level usually exhibit oxygen saturation values between 96% and 99%, and should be above 94%. At 1,600 meters' altitude (about one mile high) oxygen saturation should be above 92%. Healthy lungs keep the blood oxygenated at a level between 95 and 100%—if it dips below 92%, it’s a cause for concern and a doctor might decide to intervene with supplemental oxygen.

Many people in the United States live with chronically low oxygen levels in the blood. This condition is known as hypoxemia. There are a number of factors that can contribute to hypoxemia, and the condition may be acute as well as chronic. The complications of hypoxemia are potentially serious, but it can also be treated.

Two Similar Names, Two Different Conditions

Some people may get confused about the difference between hypoxemia and hypoxia. Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are separate but related conditions. The word “hypoxia” literally means “lack of oxygen.” The term “hypoxemia” is more specific, meaning a lack of oxygen in the blood.

Some doctors and medical publications generally apply the term “hypoxia” to refer to low blood oxygen levels. However, it is more accurate to use the term “hypoxemia” to refer specifically to lack of oxygen in the blood and “hypoxia” to refer to lack of oxygen in body organs and other tissues.

Body tissues receive oxygen from the blood, so when the circulatory system is unable to pump enough oxygenated blood around the body or if the oxygen level in the blood is insufficient, these tissues do not receive enough oxygen and hypoxia occurs. Therefore, hypoxia is secondary to (that is, caused by) hypoxemia, and prompt medical treatment for hypoxemia may prevent hypoxia from developing.

Testing for Low Blood Oxygen

There are several methods used to test for low blood oxygen. If your doctor suspects that you have either hypoxemia or hypoxia, he or she may order pulmonary function tests. Many tests are included under this broad term, but they typically involve blowing air into a tube that is attached to a computer or other measuring device to discover how your lungs are functioning.

However, if the concern is that you may have low levels of oxygen in your blood, your doctor may choose to test your blood directly. There are typically two methods of doing this: a pulse oximetry test and a test of arterial blood gases. These tests may also be performed in addition to pulmonary function tests.

Your doctor will often perform a pulse oximetry test first. Pulse oximetry has many advantages over an arterial blood gas test. Pulse ox, as it is often known, is easy to administer and noninvasive. However, the trade-off is that it has a wider margin of error than an ABG. If your doctor suspects that your pulse ox results are not accurate, he or she may order ABG testing, which requires a sample of blood from the artery in your wrist, to confirm the pulse oximetry findings.

Pulse oximetry is measured in percentages: 95 to 100 percent is considered normal for a healthy individual, and anything below 90 percent is abnormally low. ABG is measured in millimeters of mercury. A range of 80 to 100 mmHg is considered normal for arterial blood gases in a healthy individual.

Causes and Symptoms of Low Blood Oxygen

There are essentially three basic factors that may cause your blood oxygen level to be low. A condition of the circulatory system may prevent your blood from reaching your body tissues. Cardiovascular conditions that may contribute to hypoxemia include congenital heart defects, or problems with the tissue of your heart that are present at birth. A congenital heart defect may be diagnosed in childhood or go undetected until you are an adult. Another potential contributing cause is anemia, or lack of iron in the blood. Oxygen molecules in the blood are transported by iron, so a lack of this element means the blood cannot pick up and carry the oxygen that the body needs.

Even if the circulatory system is functioning properly, hypoxemia may result if the lungs themselves cannot take in enough oxygen. Lung conditions that may result in low blood oxygen include the following:

• Sleep apnea
• Blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
• Emphysema
• Pneumonia
• Interstitial lung disease

Conditions that affect lung function may be acute, meaning they are severe and happen suddenly, or chronic, meaning they occur over time.

Hypoxemia can also result from a lack of oxygen in the atmosphere. This often occurs at high altitudes and can also result when the air is polluted by smoke or other contaminants. This type of hypoxemia may be acute and is often transient, meaning it goes away when the quality of the air improves.

Symptoms of hypoxemia can range in severity. The following are troubling symptoms that do not require emergency care but should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible:

• Symptoms of sleep apnea (waking up short of breath or choking)
• Shortness of breath at rest or after slight exertion
• Shortness of breath that is worse with exercise

The following symptoms require emergency care:

• A blue tinge to the skin or fingernails (cyanosis)
• Severe, acute shortness of breath that prevents functioning
• At high altitudes, shortness of breath accompanied by rapid heartbeat, cough, and retention of fluid

Treatment for Low Blood Oxygen

The treatment you may receive for low blood oxygen depends in part on what is causing it and whether it is acute or chronic. The first treatment usually administered for hypoxemia is administration of oxygen to increase the levels and prevent hypoxia from setting in. If the hypoxemia is acute, you may receive oxygen via a mask that fits over your mouth and nose, whereas if you require oxygen on a long-term basis, your doctor may prescribe oxygen tanks for you to carry around with you, and you’ll likely receive oxygen via a nasal cannula, a tube that inserts directly into your nose. Depending on what is causing the hypoxemia, it may be possible to treat with medications as well. Another major step you can take to prevent hypoxemia is to quit smoking and avoid breathing in second-hand smoke.

Low blood oxygen levels can have multiple causes as well as treatments. See your doctor to discuss options and work out the best individual plan to address your condition.

Sources:
https://www.businessinsider.com/longest-survival-records-water-food-sleep-breathing-2016-5
https://www.healthline.com/health/normal-blood-oxygen-level
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/pulmonary/pulmonary_function_tests_92,p07759
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/hypoxemia/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050930
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321044.php
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17727-hypoxemia
https://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/hypoxia-hypoxemia#1

Here are some general guidelines to understanding oximeter readings and SpO2 values.

A healthy person should be able to achieve normal blood oxygen saturation levels (SpO2) of 94% to 99% consistently. For patients with mild respiratory diseases, the SpO2 should be 90% or above. Supplementary oxygen should be used if SpO2 levels falls below 90%, which is unacceptable for prolonged periods of time.

The blood oxygen level and the pulse rate, to a degree, are affiliated with each other but there is no strict direct correlation between the two. For example, a baby, a teenager a young adult and an elderly person in good health should all have a blood oxygen level of 94 or higher but the pulse in a baby can be 115 beats per minute while the other three people can average between 60 to 72 beats per minute. When you consider other variables like diet, and exercise regimen the range difference in pulse rate between people can be even more dramatic. A good example of such dramatic variations is marathon runners. Marathon runners can bring their pulse to as low as 35 beats per minute while maintaining a blood oxygen level of 97% or higher. This is due to the great conditioning of their bodies which makes the blood circulation so efficient that their hearts work very little to circulate the same amount of blood compared to non-runners.

Your Blood Oxygen Normal Values are dependent on your health condition, respiratory rate, percentage of oxygen in the air, activities you are performing, and other factors. Medical conditions like COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia, Lung cancer and cancer treatments like chemotherapy, smoking habit or vaping can affect the lungs capacity to transfer oxygen to the blood, thus bringing down your blood oxygen levels in a permanent way. For more details and answers to your questions visit your doctor's office.

Medicare will pay for oxygen therapy and oxygen equipment if your SpO2 readings are below 88%. If your blood oxygen saturation falls under 88% consistently, consult with a doctor immediately. Many doctors want their patients to have their SpO2 above 90%.

Sleep apnea may affect your SpO2 level. In fact, monitoring your SpO2 level while sleeping is a good way to measure your condition. To learn more about Screening for Sleep Apnea, visit Screening Sleep Apnea with Pulse Oximeters

Recently we have learned that Finger Pulse Oximeters are becoming an essential tool for detecting early Covid-19 caused Pneumonia in patients, even when they are not showing pneumonia symptoms, as reported by Doctor Richard Levitan in The New York Times article The Infection That�s Silently Killing Coronavirus Patients

99 Oxygen Level Normal

When tracking your oxygen levels in your blood pay attention to the trend. If you see anything unusual, it is time to consult your friendly doctor.

Under certain special conditions, a pulse oximeter may not give accurate results. You need to be aware of these limitations when interpreting the result.

Regardless of the reading, one should treat the patient first. The reading is only one of several important assessment criterions. Watch for symptoms of hypoxia or hypoxemia. Furthermore, pulse oximeter measures oxygen saturation, not breathing and does not indicate the removal of carbon dioxide from blood. Along with SpO2, one needs to record the respiratory rate to get an indication on breathing. If the patient is having supplementary oxygen, track the amount of oxygen also.

Take appropriate actions if the patient is not feeling OK. Emergency care may be required.

What Does A 99% Oxygen Level Mean

Monitor your pulse rate along with your SpO2. They are predictors of health problems. If you have abnormal readings even for a short period of time, see a doctor. Low or high pulse rate can indicate heart problems.

According to Dr. Fred Furgang in his article 'Hypoxia, Oxygen, and Pulse Oximetry,' a pilot should use supplemental oxygen if the oximeter reading is below 90%, maintain at 91-92% level when doing remedial tasks and above 93% with increased workload.

Blood Oxygen Level Of 70

99 Percent Blood Oxygen Level

The amount of oxygen in the air, which decreases at higher altitude, would have a significant effect on a person's SpO2. A person may have a reading of 98% at sea level; it may decrease to 95% at 5,000 ft. and further to 90% at 10,000 ft. At altitude above 10,000 ft., a person may fail to adjust to the low level of oxygen and his SpO2 may drop below 80% resulting in hypoxic conditions.