All organ-support machines, including ventilators, dialysis machines and extracorporeal circulation systems, also monitor a large number of parameters so that treatment can be adjusted very precisely.
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Every machine used to monitor or treat patients is programmed to trigger a number of alarms. These alarms alert healthcare professionals to a problem or tell them that the machine requires an action. Not every alarm is urgent. Although the sounds can be worrying to people who are not used to them, staff recognise the different alarms and respond at the appropriate speed for the situation.
This measures the heart’s electrical activity using electrodes attached to the patient’s chest. It is generally the first trace shown on the monitor: a green line accompanied by a number in the same colour. Continuous ECG monitoring shows the heart rate, meaning the number of beats per minute or pulse, and the shape of the trace itself, which may change in certain situations.
It is measured continuously, usually using a small clip placed on a finger or the ear. This indicates the patient’s blood oxygen level and helps the team adjust the amount of oxygen provided according to their needs. In the image above, it is shown by the yellow line and the corresponding number.
Blood pressure may be measured intermittently using a cuff, or continuously using a catheter inserted into an artery in the wrist or groin. In the image above, it is represented by the red line and the numbers in the same colour.