A rebreathing system involving varying substantially equal rebreathing and non-rebreathing periods

摘要

A differential Fick technique including a first phase in which baseline breathing parameters may be established and a second phase in which a change in the effective ventilation of a patient is induced. The durations of the first and second phases may be substantially the same and may be abbreviated relative to the durations of comparable phases of previously known differential Fick techniques. The disclosed differential Fick technique also lacks a recovery period in which the respiratory parameters of a patient are permitted to return to "normal" levels.