Respiratory therapies in the critical care setting. Should every mechanically ventilated patient be monitored with capnography from intubation to extubation?

One of the most important aspects of caring for a critically ill patient is monitoring. Few would disagree that the most essential aspect of monitoring is frequent physical assessments. Complementing the physical examination is continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation measured via pulse-oximetry, which have become the standard of care in intensive care units. Over the past decade one of the most...