Importance

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Abstract

Pathologic relationship trending of an oxygen saturation time series relative to a corresponding ventilation time series is identified used a medical microprocessor system, and an increasing difference between the two time series is detected and displayed. That increasing difference is provided for evaluating a patient and for detecting early evidence of serious illness. A patient's normal predicted time ventilation may also be calculated using one or more of the patient's height, weight, sex, and body surface area. A relationship is determined between measured blood oxygen saturation, measured time ventilation, and predicted time ventilation. The microprocessor preferably determines the presence of an interval of steady state ventilation and measures the timed ventilation during that interval. The microprocessor also measures the oxygen saturation corresponding to that determined, steady state ventilation interval. The microprocessor then calculates a Ventilation Oximetry Index (VOI) of minute ventilation and oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry. The VOI assists the medical clinician in judging the potential effect of the measured minute ventilation on the oxygen saturation value and in identifying when additional testing (such as an arterial blood gas) is indicated.

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First Claim