Patent ID: 7066173

Claim:
A method of automatically controlling ventilatory support for a patient having an airway, the method comprising: (1) providing an automatically controlled ventilator comprising: (a) at least one selectable ventilator setting control governing supply of ventilation from the ventilator to the patient, each setting control selectable to a level setting for at least one ventilation parameter relating to the supply of gas from the ventilator to the patient; (b) at least one sensor that monitors the patient, or that monitors a breathing circuit coupled to the airway of the patient, each sensor generating an output signal, and (c) a processing subsystem adapted to receive the output signal(s), wherein the processing subsystem evaluates the output signal(s) to determine a desired level setting for at least one ventilation parameter; (2) receiving into the processing subsystem at least one of the output signal; (3) implementing the processing subsystem to evaluate the output signal(s) to evaluate the ventilatory support provided to the patient; (4) recommending, without the need for clinician input, a desired level setting for at least one ventilator parameter based on the evaluation of the output signal(s) by the processing subsystem; and (5) automatically adjusting, without clinician input, at least one ventilator setting control in response to the desired level setting determined in the recommending step.