Etco2 with COPD

Abstract

The use of ETCO2 as the seventh vital sign has been a big discussion in the past few years as noninvasive monitoring has developed. Ponca City Hospital recently purchased vital sign equipment that has the capability of determining ETCO2 non-invasively. This new availability has raised the question of the importance of its use. This literature review aims to determine a difference in capnometry values of hospitalities COPD patients compared to the general population. Results of this study were deemed inconclusive with parameters of COPD patients falling in the same set general population norms. Recommendations include the further studies of waveforms (capnography) rather that the numerical values of (capnometry) in the prediction of COPD exacerbation.