According to a recent study, nurses were able to detect respiratory depression in post-operative patients receiving patient-controlled analgesia more effectively when alerted by capnographic monitoring than pulse-oximetry. Use of capnography has improved clinician confidence that opioid dosing can be safely used in postoperative patients for more effective pain management.

Effective April 17, 2016, the Florida Board of Dentistry has two new amended regulatory changes (64B5-14.009 and 64B5-14.010), which mandate the use of capnography and pulse oximetry in conscious sedation procedures. For more information read this entry.

End-tidal CO2 ("EtCO2") monitoring is a noninvasive technique that measures the partial pressure or maximal concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) at the end of an exhaled breath, which is expressed as a percentage of CO2 or mmHg. EtCO2 monitors, or capnometers, help practitioners receive and assess instant feedback about ventilation, as opposed to pulse oximeters, which provide feedback about oxygenation.