Rapid bedside computation of cardiorespiratory variables with a programmable calculator.

The value prompt assessment of hemodynamic cardiorespiratory function in critically ill medical and surgical patients is widely appreciated. We have presented a system for rapidly computing these variables on real time in the ICU, for a capital outlay of less than $250. In so doing, we hope to extend the benefits of this type of assessment to the smaller community hospital ICU and individual clinicians.