Measurement of end-tidal carbon dioxide in spontaneously breathing patients in the pre-hospital setting. A prospective evaluation of 350 patients

2002

Monitoring of end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO(2)) is good clinical practice in the patient who is intubated and ventilated. This study investigated the EtCO(2) values in spontaneously breathing patients treated in a physician-staffed mobile intensive care unit (MICU). This article also discusses whether EtCO(2) monitoring may have an influence on therapeutic decisions by emergency physicians by providing additional information.Over a period of 6 months, 350 spontaneously breathing patients (162 males, 137 females) were treated and transported in our MICU and monitored using a LifePak 12 monitor (EtCO(2), respiratory rate, pO(2), blood pressure, heart rate). Only 299 were enrolled in the stud…