title: Improved detection of adverse cardiovascular trends with the use of a two-variable computer alarm.
abstract: Assessment of preload and afterload of patients having undergone cardiac surgery is commonly done by the monitoring of mean arterial and left atrial pressures (MAP, LAP). In this ICU, a central computer has been in use to sample routinely the MAP and LAP every 10 min. This computer has been programmed to activate an alarm sequence if a routinely acquired value of MAP or LAP is found to be outside of preset ("trend") limits. The computer then initiates a repeat mode of sampling of MAP and LAP as 1 min intervals. If three consecutive repeated values of either variable remain outside of the preset limits, then the following occurs: 1) a plot of the trend of MAP and LAP over the preceding 3 h appears on the bedside video monitor, 2) a bedside light and audible chime are activated, and 3) the bedside keyboard is locked out to other functions until the alarm is reset. A study showed that this system can detect adverse trends appropriately, averaging only 1-2 false alarms/patient per 8-h shift.
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*