ABSTRACT
Monitoring is the continuous, or nearly continuous, evaluation of the physiologic
function of a patient in real time to guide diagnosis and management decisions,
including when to make therapeutic interventions and assessment of those inter-
ventions (1). Many physiologic parameters can be monitored during mechanical
ventilation (Fig. 1). These include both invasive and non-invasive monitoring.
Although its impact on patient outcomes has not been well studied, monitoring
has become an integral part of the care of mechanically ventilated patients.
