System and method for detecting minimal ventilation support with proportional assist ventilation plus software and remote monitoring

A ventilation system, comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to generate one or more signals representative of a respiratory function of a patient;
• a ventilator configured to receive the one or more signals from the one or more sensors and to be operatively coupled to the patient, wherein the ventilator comprises:
• an inspiratory module configured to deliver an inspiratory flow to the patient to overcome a preset percentage of a total work of breathing of the patient;
• a processor configured to:
• determine a value of peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and a value of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) for the patient based at least in part upon the one or more signals;
• determine whether a pressure to ventilate is below a threshold for minimal support of the patient, wherein the pressure to ventilate is a difference between the value of PIP and the value of PEEP;
• and
• a display configured to display an indication of minimal support detected when the processor determines that the value of the pressure to ventilate is below the threshold for minimal support.

A ventilator, comprising:

• an inspiratory module configured to deliver an inspiratory flow to a patient to overcome a preset percentage of a total work of breathing of the patient;
• a processor configured to calculate a pressure to ventilate value of a patient and to determine whether the pressure to ventilate value is below a minimal support threshold for a predetermined percentage of a predetermined period of time;
• and
• a display configured to display an indication of minimal support detected when the processor determines that the pressure to ventilate value is below the minimal support threshold for the predetermined percentage of the predetermined period of time.