Graphical technique for detecting congestive heart failure

A method for characterizing heart failure in a patient, comprising the following steps:

• generating the following first set of data parameters with a group of one or more sensors:
• fluid level, stroke volume, blood pressure, cardiac output, and SpO2, the first set of data parameters measured from the patient when the patient is in a relatively healthy state;
• transmitting and recoding the first set of data parameters from the group of one or more sensors to a display device;
• generating the following second set of data parameters with a group of one or more sensors:
• fluid level, stroke volume, blood pressure, cardiac output, and SpO2, the second set of data parameters measured from the patient after the first set of data parameters;
• calculating a third set of data parameters from the first and second set of data parameters, the third set of data parameters indicating a change in a data parameter;
• determining a maximum value for each of the data parameters in the third set of data parameters;
• normalizing the third set of data parameters for each of the data parameters to fit on graphical axes having comparable dimensions;
• generating a graphical image on the display device, the graphical image showing a plot comprising:
• i) multiple axes, with each axis corresponding to a single, normalized change in a data parameter generated by a sensor in the group of one or more sensors, and organized so that a value corresponding to the normalized change in the data parameter is further separated from the plot's origin as the patient's state of heart failure worsens;
• and ii) a region calculated from values plotted on each axis that increases in area as the patient's state of heart failure worsens.