METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING CARDIAC OUTPUT

摘要

A method and apparatus for use in determining the cardiac output. The method includes quantitatively measuring the patient's airflow via a patient flow measurement system (32), a first parameter indicative of the percent oxygen inhaled and exhaled by the patient via an oxygen analyzing system (34), and a second parameter indicative of the patient's fractional arterial oxygen concentration via system (38). The method also includes inducing a change in the patient's arterial oxygen concentration while taking these measurements to monitor the effects of the change in the patient's arterial oxygen concentration. The cardiac output is determined by a cardiac output determining system (36) from the data collected regarding the effects of the change in the patient's arterial oxygen concentration.