Carbon dioxide monitor (CO ₂ monitor)

Definition: A device used to detect the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO ₂) in the air or exhaled by the human body, applied in fields such as medical, industrial, and environmental monitoring.

Medical use

Monitoring indicators: End tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (EtCO ₂), reflecting respiratory function, ventilation status, and metabolic levels.

The relationship with sleep

Diagnosis and monitoring of sleep disordered breathing: such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sleep apnea, or CO ₂ accumulation caused by low ventilation. CO ₂ monitoring can determine periods of inadequate ventilation or respiratory pauses.

Non invasive ventilation therapy efficacy evaluation: In CPAP or BiPAP therapy, CO ₂ monitoring is used to determine whether the treatment can effectively maintain gas exchange.

Safety monitoring for children and elderly patients: some patients with nervous system diseases or lung diseases may have CO ₂ retention during sleep, and monitoring can detect abnormalities in time.

Nighttime low ventilation management for patients with chronic respiratory diseases: For example, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and neuromuscular diseases have poor nighttime carbon dioxide excretion and are prone to hypercapnia. CO ₂ monitoring can be used as a remote monitoring tool.

Monitoring method

Sidestream: Collect exhaled gas through a catheter for analysis.

Mainstream method: Measure directly at the airway opening.

Summary: Carbon dioxide monitoring devices are closely related to sleep and play an important role in diagnosing, monitoring, and treating sleep related respiratory disorders (such as OSA).