Monitoring device and method

Abstract

A monitoring device arranged to display a level of consciousness and hemodynamic parameters of a patient for simultaneous viewing. A dependence of changes in the hemodynamic parameters of the patient on the level of consciousness of the patient may be more easily observed using the monitoring device. Correlations between the patient's level of consciousness and the patient's hemodynamic parameters may further be determined and displayed to aid clinicians in estimating any improvement in hemodynamic parameters that may be achieved through manipulation of the patient's level of consciousness, fluid status and drugs.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of monitoring anaesthetic induction comprising using a monitoring device to record a series of data sets over a period of time, each data set comprising a value of a signal indicating a level of consciousness of a patient or simulated patient applicable at a time point and a value of said arterial blood pressure signal applicable at the time. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said period of time includes a period of time prior to the administration of an anaesthetic and/or sedative, a period of time between the administration of the anaesthetic and/or sedative and intubation and a post intubation period. 
     
     
         17 . A method of restoring blood pressure or blood flow of a patient or of training to restore the blood pressure or blood flow of a simulated patient following the induction of anaesthesia and/or sedation, comprising:
 correcting a deviation in the level of consciousness of the patient or simulated patient during anaesthetic induction from a desired level;   thereafter, if the blood flow or blood pressure is below a target value, checking the hydration level of the patient or simulated patient using a monitoring device and administering one or more fluid challenges, if the patient is determined, using the monitoring device, to be hypovolemic;   thereafter administering drugs potentially suitable for changing the patient's blood flow or blood pressure towards the target value in a staged manner to identify a suitable drug, if the patient's or simulated patient's blood flow or blood pressure monitored using the monitoring device deviates from the target value.   
     
     
         18 . A method of restoring blood pressure of a patient or of training to restore the blood pressure of a simulated patient following the induction of anaesthesia and/or sedation, comprising:
 monitoring the level of consciousness of a patient or a simulated patient using a monitoring device;   adjusting an administration of anaesthetic or sedative to the patient or simulated patient so that the patient's or simulated patient's level of consciousness determined by the monitoring is within a predetermined range;   using a monitoring device to determine if the patient is hypovolemic and administering one or more fluid challenges if the patient is determined to be hypovolemic;   using a monitoring device to determine if the patient's or simulated patient's systolic or mean arterial blood pressure has reached a desired value and if the patient's systolic or mean arterial blood pressure has not reached the desired value determining, through staged application whilst monitoring the patient's or simulated patient's blood pressure using the monitoring device, whether a vasopressor acting predominantly on the venous part of the patient's or simulated patient's vascular system, a vasopressor acting predominantly on   the arterial part of the patient's or simulated patient's vascular system and/or an inotropic drug is suitable for increasing the patient's or simulated patient's blood pressure.   
     
     
         19 . A method of restoring blood pressure of a patient or of training to restore the blood pressure of a simulated patient following the induction of anaesthesia and/or sedation, comprising:
 displaying on a display an image showing a development in the patient's or simulated patient's blood pressure level and of the patient's or simulated patient's level over consciousness over time and adjusting an amount of anaesthetic and/or sedative administered to the patient or to the simulated patient until the level of consciousness of the patient is within a predetermined target zone;   displaying, following intubation, on the display an image showing a development in the patient's or simulated patient's blood pressure level over time and an image of a variation in the patient's or simulated patients left ventricular stroke volume and/or in the patient's or simulated patients pulse pressure;   deciding based on the image of the variation in left ventricular stroke volume and/or pulse pressure whether or not the patient is likely to be hypovolemic and, if so, administering a fluid challenge, if a current blood pressure has not reached a desired value;   displaying on the display an image of a change in the patient's or the simulated patient's stroke volume over time, following an administration of the said fluid challenge;   determining if the patient's or the simulated patient's blood pressure has reached the desired value and, if the patient's or the simulated patient's blood pressure has not reached the desired value, identifying, through staged application, a drug that is suitable to increase the patient's or simulated patient's blood pressure.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising setting a marker at the time of an intervention and deciding whether or not the intervention has affected the observed change in mean arterial blood pressure. 
     
     
         21 . A portable non-volatile memory device having stored thereon a series of values representing a patient's level of consciousness at different points in time and a series of arterial blood pressure values at the different points in time.