Ventilation analysis and monitoring

Abstract

A ventilation analysis system comprising an interface module adapted to receive a carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) signal and a breath flow dynamics signal, and control logic adapted to produce a ventilation indicator, based on a mutual analysis of the CO 2 signal and the breath flow dynamics signal. The ventilation indicator may be, for example, an estimated CO 2 waveform, an End-Tidal CO 2 (ETCO 2 ) value, and/or a minute CO 2 value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A low power, light weight medical device comprising:
 a user interface comprising a CO 2  sensor configured to measure a CO 2  concentration in a subject's breath, said CO 2  sensor having a response time below 100 ms;   a control logic configured to produce a ventilation indicator based on CO 2  concentration measurements obtained from said CO 2  sensor; and   a display configured to display said ventilation indicator and to provide a numerical respiration rate value and/or a visual indication of exhalation and/or inhalation cycles over a time axis.   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface further comprises a breath flow dynamics (BFD) sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein said ventilation indicator is further produced based on BFD measurements obtained from said BFD sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 2 , and wherein said BFD sensor is a flow sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , further configured to provide a visual and/or sonic indication related to said ventilation indicator. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said ventilation indicator comprises an estimated CO 2  waveform, an End-Tidal CO 2  (EtCO 2 ) value and/or a minute CO 2  value. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 6 , wherein said ventilation indicator comprises an estimated CO 2  waveform and an End-Tidal CO 2  (EtCO 2 ) value. 
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein said CO 2  sensor has a response time below 50 ms.