Patient monitoring method and monitoring device

A monitoring device including:

• a signal input, and a processing unit, the monitoring device being arranged to:
• (1) receive a first raw parasternal electromyography signal at the signal input;
• execute computer program code in the processing unit to:
• (2) determine the root mean square of the raw parasternal signal to obtain a rectified trace;
• (3) identify the peak magnitude of the rectified parasternal trace for each inspiration over a second given period of time;
• (4) calculate the mean of the peak magnitudes identified;
• (5) receive further and determine raw parasternal electromyography signals during at least two (preferably at least three) sniff maneouvres;
• (6) determine the root mean square of the raw signal to obtain a further rectified trace;
• (7) determine the peak magnitude of the further rectified trace;
• (8) express the mean of the first peak magnitude as a percentage of the peak magnitude of the further rectified trace obtained during the sniff manouevre;
• (9) receive data on the respiratory rate of the patient, expressed as breaths per minute;
• (10) determine a value for the neural respiratory drive index by multiplying the value of the neural respiratory drive by the respiratory rate;
• and
• (11) store the measured/determined values of the neural respiratory drive a data repository.