Understanding and selecting monitoring equipment in anaesthesia and intensive care.

Techniques for sensing, acquiring, processing and displaying physiological variables used to assist the process of monitoring in anaesthesia and intensive care have been reviewed. The role of instrumental monitoring in clinical practice and the comparative effectiveness of Man versus Machine has been outlined. Future developments in monitoring in clinical practice have been identified. It is important that physicians stay abreast of developments in the technology of measurement and monitoring instrumentation so that they not only assist in the development of standards but also have a complete understanding of the precision and real usefulness of any given item of equipment. To this end, guidelines have been tabulated which may permit those who have the responsibility for acquiring updating or using monitoring equipment, to more completely examine the features of any apparatus which is being considered for purchase.