Alarm suspend system

Abstract

An alarm suspend system utilizes an alarm trigger responsive to physiological parameters and corresponding limits on those parameters. The parameters are associated with both fast and slow treatment times corresponding to length of time it takes for a person to respond to medical treatment for out-of-limit parameter measurements. Audible and visual alarms respond to the alarm trigger. An alarm silence button is pressed to silence the audible alarm for a predetermined suspend time. The audible alarm is activated after the suspend time has lapsed. Longer suspend times are associated with slow treatment parameters and shorter suspend times are associated with fast treatment parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A physiological measurement system comprising:
 a noninvasive physiological sensor including: a plurality of light emitting diodes configured to transmit wavelengths of light onto a tissue site of a patient; and at least one detector configured to measure an indication of the wavelengths of light after attenuation by tissue of the patient and be positioned on a patient and output a signal responsive of the attenuated light to a physiological condition of the patient; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the noninvasive physiological sensor, the one or more processors configured to electronically:
 determine a measurement of a physiological parameter based at least in part upon the signal; 
 determine whether an alarm condition exists by determining whether an activation threshold has been satisfied by the measurement of the physiological parameter; 
 receive, from a user, an indication ofaccess an alarm hold initiator for a parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to the physiological parameter, the parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time being selected fromone of a plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold periods of time, the parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time being different from at least one other parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to at least one other physiological parameter for which the one or more processors are configured to determine at least one measurement; 
 activate an alarm in response to determining that an alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the physiological parameter measurement; 
 receive determine that the alarm hold initiator indicates to hold an indication of an alarm suspension indication for the alarm condition; and 
 in response to receiving determining that the alarm hold initiator indicates to hold the indication of the alarm suspension indication, suspend hold the indication of the alarm for the indicated parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time; and 
 subsequent to the parameter-specific alarm hold period of time passing, activate the indication of the alarm while the measurement of the physiological parameter satisfies the activation threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The physiological measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 provide a user interface to the user including at least a plurality of user-selectable elements, each of the plurality of user-selectable elements corresponding to one of the plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time. 
 
     
     
       3. The physiological measurement system of  claim 2 , wherein providing the user interface further includes:
 constructing a pop-up window for a display; and 
 displaying the plurality of user-selectable elements in the pop-up window. 
 
     
     
       4. The physiological measurement system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of user-selectable elements are configured to allow a user to select a specific one of the plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time. 
     
     
       5. The physiological measurement system of  claim 4 , wherein the a selected parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the plurality of user-selectable elements. 
     
     
       6. The physiological measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 associate the a selected parameter-specific alarm hold period of time is with the physiological parameter. 
 
     
     
       7. The physiological measurement system of  claim 6 , wherein the selected parameter-specific alarm hold period of time is stored in a memory device in communication with the one or more processors. 
     
     
       8. The physiological measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine a measurement of a second physiological parameter measurement based at least in part upon the signal, the second physiological parameter being different from the physiological parameter; 
 determine whether a second alarm condition exists by determining whether a second activation threshold has been satisfied by the measurement of the second physiological parameter; 
 receive, from the user,access a second indication ofalarm hold initiator for a second parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to the second physiological parameter, the second parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time being selected fromone of a second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold periods of time, the second parameter-specific alarm hold period of time being different from the parameter-specific alarm hold period of time corresponding to the physiological parameter; 
 activate a second alarm in response to determining a second alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the second physiological parameter measurementdetermine that the second alarm hold initiator indicates to hold an indication of a second alarm for the second alarm condition; and 
 in response to receiving determining that the second alarm hold initiator indicates to hold the indication of the second alarm suspension indication, suspend hold the indication of the second alarm for the indicated second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time; and 
 subsequent to the second parameter-specific alarm hold period of time passing, activate the indication of the second alarm while the measurement of the second physiological parameter satisfies the second activation threshold. 
 
     
     
       9. The physiological measurement system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 provide a user interface to the user including at least a first plurality of user-selectable elements and a second plurality of user-selectable elements, wherein each of the first plurality of user-selectable elements corresponds to one of the plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time, and each of the second plurality of user-selectable element corresponds to one of the second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time. 
 
     
     
       10. The physiological measurement system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 construct a pop-up window for a display; and 
 display both the first and second plurality of user-selectable elements in the pop-up window. 
 
     
     
       11. The physiological measurement system of  claim 10 , wherein the a selected first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the first plurality of user-selectable elements, and the a selected second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the second plurality of user-selectable elements. 
     
     
       12. The physiological measurement system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the first plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time is different from any of the second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time. 
     
     
       13. An A method comprising:
 measuring a first physiological parameter and a second physiological parameter using a patient monitoring device, the patient monitoring device including a processor and a memory device configured to store a parameter-specific alarm suspension period of time; 
 receivingaccessing, from a userthe memory device, an indication ofa first alarm hold initiator for a first parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to the first physiological parameter and a second alarm hold initiator for a second parameter-specific alarm hold period of time corresponding to the second physiological parameter, the parameter-specific alarm suspension period of time being selected from a plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension periods of time, the first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time being different from at least one other the second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time corresponding to at least one other physiological parameter; activating an alarm in response to determining an alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the physiological parameter measurement; 
 receiving andetermining that the first alarm hold initiator indicates to hold a first indication of a first alarm suspension indicationfor a first alarm condition for the first physiological parameter; and 
 in response to receiving determining that the first alarm hold initiator indicates to hold the first indication of the first alarm suspension indication, suspending holding the first indication of the first alarm for the indicated first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time; and 
 subsequent to the first parameter-specific alarm hold period of time passing, activating the first indication of the first alarm. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first alarm includes an audible component and a visual component, and wherein suspending holding the first indication of the first alarm comprises suspending holding the audible component and not suspending holding the visual component. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 providing a user interface to the user including at least a plurality of user-selectable elements, each of the plurality of user-selectable elements corresponding to one of the a plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time, 
 wherein the plurality of parameter-specific alarm hold periods of time comprise the first parameter specific alarm hold period of time. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 constructing a pop-up window for a display; and 
 displaying the plurality of user-selectable elements in the pop-up window. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the a selected parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the plurality of user-selectable elements. 
     
     
       18. A physiological measurement system comprising:
 a physiological sensor means for outputting configured to output a signal responsive to a noninvasive measurement of attenuated light transmitted through a tissue site physiological condition of a patient; 
 a memory configured to store a first alarm activation threshold; and 
 a processing meansone or more processors in communication with the physiological sensor means and configured to:
 determine a first measurement of a the first measured physiological parameter based at least in part upon the signal; 
 determine whether a first alarm condition exists by determining whether the first alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the first measurement of the first measured physiological parameter;  
 receive, from a user, an indication of aaccess a first alarm hold initiator for a first parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to the first measured physiological parameter, the parameter-specific alarm suspension period of time being selected from a plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension periods of time, the first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time being different from at least one other a second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time corresponding to at least one other a second measured physiological parameter for which the one or more processors are configured to determine a second measurement; 
 activate an alarm in response to determining an alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the physiological parameter measurement; 
 receive an determine that the first alarm hold initiator indicates to hold activation of a first alarm suspension indication for the first alarm condition; and 
 in response to receiving determining that the first alarm hold initiator indicates to hold activation of the first alarm suspension indication, suspend hold activation of the first alarm for the indicated first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time; and 
 activate the first alarm. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The physiological measurement system of  claim 18 , wherein the processing means is one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine a the second physiological parameter measurement based at least in part upon the signal; 
 determine whether a second alarm condition exists by determining whether a second alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the second measurement;  
 receive, from the user,access a second indication of aalarm hold initiator for the second parameter-specific alarm suspensionhold period of time corresponding to the second physiological parameter, the second parameter-specific alarm suspension period of time being selected from a second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension periods of time; activate a second alarm in response to determining a second alarm activation threshold has been satisfied by the second physiological parameter measurement; 
 determine that the second alarm hold initiator indicates to hold activation of a second alarm for the second alarm condition; and 
 in response to receiving determining that the second alarm hold initiator indicates to hold activation of the second alarm suspension indication, suspend hold activation of the second alarm for the indicated second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time. 
 
     
     
       20. The physiological measurement system of  claim 19 , wherein the processing means is one or more processors are further configured to:
 provide a user interface to the user including at least a first plurality of user-selectable elements and a second plurality of user-selectable elements, wherein each of the first plurality of user-selectable elements corresponds to one of the a first plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time, and each of the second plurality of user-selectable element elements corresponds to one of the a second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time, 
 wherein the first plurality of parameter-specific alarm hold periods of time comprise the first parameter-specific alarm hold period of time, and the second plurality of parameter-specific alarm hold periods of time comprise the second parameter-specific alarm hold period of time. 
 
     
     
       21. The physiological measurement system of  claim 20 , wherein the a selected first parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the first plurality of user-selectable elements, and the a selected second parameter-specific alarm suspension hold period of time is selected by selection of one of the second plurality of user-selectable elements. 
     
     
       22. The physiological measurement system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time is different from any of the second plurality of parameter-specific alarm suspension hold periods of time. 
     
     
       23. The physiological measurement system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to modify a visual indicator for the parameter-specific alarm hold period of time. 
     
     
       24. The physiological measurement system of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter comprises one of an oxygen saturation, a pulse rate, a perfusion index, a pleth variability index, a carboxyhemoglobin, a methemoglobin, or a total hemoglobin.