All organ replacement machines (respirator, dialysis, extra-corporeal circulation) also monitor a large number of parameters allowing for very precise adjustment of the therapy.
Learn more about resuscitation equipment
Each machine used by caregivers to monitor or treat patients is set to trigger a number of alarms. This allows caregivers to be alerted in case of a problem, but also when an action is required by the machine. Not all alarms are urgent, and while they can be anxiety-provoking for unaccustomed ears, Caregivers know how to recognize them and adapt their speed of reaction to the situation.
Measurement of the electrical activity of the heart using electrodes stuck to the patient’s chest. This is usually the first plot, a green curve assiocated to a number of that same color, that appears on the monitor (or scope). This continuous measurement also monitors the heart rate, i.e. the number of beats per minute (the pulse), as well as the pattern itself, which may change in shape in some cases.
It can be taken intermittantly with a blood pressure cuff, or continuously with a catheter inserted into an artery in the wrist or groin. On the image above, the red curve and the numbers of the same color embody blood pressure.
It is taken continuously, usually with a small clip that is placed on the finger or ear. It allows to know the oxygenation of the patient and to adjust the oxygen supply according to his needs. On the image above, it is the yellow curve and the yellow numbers.