[Use of the computer in intensive care. A program for instruction and diagnosis of changes in acid-base equilibrium]

A method for assessing the acid-base balance in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Department, making use of the Graphic Display option of a minicomputer is presented. Patient condition can be plotted on present graphs whose coordinates are the pH and PACO2 measured at successive moments. It is thus possible to visualise the behavior of acid-base balance over a period, as well as the extent of renal or respiratory compensation. The data relating to a group of patients are reported by way of illustration.