Journal of clinical engineering
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A computer-based, integrated monitor system was designed and utilized to collect and interactively manage physiologic data (13 variables and 3 waveforms) from six routinely used operating room monitors. Various approaches were developed to reduce false alarms, classify waveforms, and recognize events. False alarms: false alarms in ECG heart rate detection were reduced from 37.3% to 2.6% (p=0.005) of total alarms using multi-variable analysis and rate-of-change limits. ⋯ All ST segment elevations and depressions of 0.1 mV were correctly identified. Event recognition: an algorithm developed to identify endotracheal intubation correctly recognized 13 of 17 intubations. This resulted in a 42% reduction in low end-tidal-CO2 false alarms.