The capnography tracing is an excellent tool that gives us insight into cellular metabolism, perfusion and ventilation. This can yield vital information in multiple critical patient care decision processes. In this episode of the MCHD Paramedic Podcast, join MCHD Medical Directors Dr. Robert Dickson and Dr. Casey Patrick as they walk through some ETCO2 interpretation…

If your role involves responding to medical emergencies, you’re probably well aware of the importance of having a good pair of “ears” as we call them, or a stethoscope. When you’re trying to listen to lung or heart sounds in the back of a bouncing truck with sirens blaring in the background, you want the…

By Sean Hulsman Asthma and COPD are obstructive pathologies of the pulmonary system. Affecting millions of people and accounting for countless 911 calls, these diseases. Read Use capnography as a primary assessment tool for asthma and COPD exacerbation and take this quiz to test your knowledge. About the Author: Sean Hulsman, MEd, EMT-P is Director…

For this segment, we will learn how pulse oximetry uses near infrared light to detect the cardiac induced pulsatile signal of arterial blood and then measures the percentage of oxygenated hemoglobin in arterial blood. To help provide insight into this topic is Jake Dove, PhD, Senior Principal R&D Engineer at Medtronic. The Nellcor™ pulse oximetry…

Mike McEvoy EMS1.com Columnists For both intubated and non-intubated patients, capnography can provide a wealth of information about vital signs In the life and death business of EMS, you need tools that you can rely upon. Capnography is the non-invasive measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) displayed as a CO2 waveform concentration over time. During…

I arrived on scene perhaps ten minutes behind the first-in crew and the shift supervisor. Both the crew paramedic and the supervisor were knowledgeable, experienced providers. A school nurse was there as well, providing background info on our patient; a 16-year-old student with a history of asthma in severe distress. Our patient was in bad…

Capnography has revolutionized prehospital patient care and assessment should be part of every EMS system By Chris Cebollero Capnography has revolutionized how paramedics diagnosis, treat and manage patients. If your organization has not already implemented capnography here is a 10-step process to successfully implement capnography. Phase I: Preparation 1. Choose a project manager As with…

Seizures are one of the most common conditions encountered by EMS providers and one where critical interventions can significantly affect patient outcomes [1]. Oxygenation and ventilation can be compromised during prolonged seizures, as well as during the postictal phase after seizures. Here are three things you should know about seizures and respiratory compromise. 1. Seizures…

Melissa Langhan, MD reviews the importance of capnography to monitor pediatric patients in the emergency medicine environment. Share Your Capno Story With Us Do you have a story about how capnography made a difference? Share your story with us and we may publish it on CapnoAcademy.

Capnography monitoring offers early insights on respiratory status to help you determine the most appropriate intervention. The Capnostream™ 35 portable respiratory monitor combines Microstream™ capnography and Nellcor™ pulse oximetry technologies and is built to be at its best when things are at their worst. Rugged design and shockproof to 1.25 meters, it can be used…