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Carbon dioxide kinetics and capnography during critical care

Cynthia T Anderson and Peter H Breen

Author Affiliations

Department of Anesthesiology, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA

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Critical Care 2000, 4:207-215 doi:10.1186/cc696

Published: 12 July 2000

Abstract

Greater understanding of the pathophysiology of carbon dioxide kinetics during steady and nonsteady state should improve, we believe, clinical care during intensive care treatment. Capnography and the measurement of end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PETCO2) will gradually be augmented by relatively new measurement methodology, including the volume of carbon dioxide exhaled per breath (VCO2,br) and average alveolar expired PCO2 (PǢCO2). Future directions include the study of oxygen kinetics.

Keywords:
airway; capnography; carbon dioxide; carbon dioxide kinetics; expirogram; nonsteady state; ventilation