Sepsis monitor

1 . A wellness monitor configured to alarm at an onset of a sepsis condition through monitoring a pulse rate, respiration rate and temperature of a wearer, the wellness monitor comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be applied to a wearer, the one or more sensors configured to output a plurality of signals responsive to noninvasive measurements, one or more of the plurality of signals including data sufficient to determine a pulse rate, a respiration rate and a temperature of the wearer;

one or more processors configured to receive and process said data, electronically determine said pulse rate, said respiration rate, and said temperature, and output a sepsis alarm responsive to said determination, said processing including comparing measurement values and comparing measurement trends,

wherein said comparing measurement values comprises determining if all of a set of first conditions are met contemporaneously, the set of first conditions comprising: (i) said pulse rate being above a pulse rate threshold, (ii) said respiration rate being above a respiration rate threshold, and (iii) said temperature being above a high temperature threshold or being below a low temperature threshold, and

wherein said comparing measurement trends comprises determining if all of a set of second conditions are met contemporaneously the set of second conditions comprising: (a) a pulse rate trend of said pulse rate rising over a first predetermined time interval and exceeding a pulse rate trend limit, (b) a respiration rate trend of said respiration rate rising or being above said respiration rate threshold over a second predetermined time interval and exceeding a respiration rate trend limit, and (c) a temperature trend rising relative to a high temperature threshold or said temperature trend falling relative to a low threshold,

wherein said pulse rate threshold corresponds to an abnormal pulse rate, said respiration rate threshold corresponds to an abnormal respiration rate, and said high and low temperature thresholds each correspond to respective abnormal temperatures, and

wherein said sepsis alarm comprises tiered outputs including a first output generated when the first set of conditions are met and a second output generated when the second set of conditions are met,

wherein the first output conveys a higher severity level than the second output via a multi-modal set of indicators,

wherein, when conditions for both the first set and the second set are met, the monitor is configured to present the first output and not the second output.

2 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors comprises a noninvasive pulse oximetry sensor.

3 . The monitor of claim 2 , wherein said one or more processors are further configured to output a drug control signal configured to cause a drug administration device to one of deliver medication to said wearer, adjust a delivery of medication to said wearer or cease the delivery of medication to said wearer.

4 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein said one or more processors are further configured to output a drug administration instruction to a caregiver, said instruction configured to inform the caregiver about the administration of medication to said wearer.

5 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein said first set of conditions comprises a potential sepsis condition and said second set of conditions comprises a potential sepsis condition.

6 . A multiple parameter processor configured to generate alarms, a first alarm corresponding to a set of specific physiological parameter measurements all being abnormal, a second alarm corresponding to a set of specific trends of physiological parameter measurements all being abnormal, the first and second alarms being different flags of a sepsis condition of a wearer of noninvasive sensors including at least a noninvasive pulse oximetry sensor, the processor comprising:

a first electronic signal input responsive to a currently monitored pulse rate of the wearer;

a second electronic signal input responsive to a currently monitored respiration rate of the wearer;

a third electronic signal input responsive to a currently monitored temperature of the wearer;

a first electronic output configured to generate the first alarm, the first alarm corresponding to when all of a set of first conditions related to pulse rate, respiration rate, and temperature of the wearer are met, the set of first conditions comprising: (i) said pulse rate being above a pulse rate threshold corresponding to an abnormal pulse rate, (ii) said respiration rate being above a respiration rate threshold corresponding to an abnormal respiration rate, and (iii) said temperature being above a high temperature threshold or being below a low temperature threshold, the high and low temperature thresholds corresponding to abnormal temperatures; and

a second electronic output configured to generate the second alarm, the second alarm corresponding to when all of a set of second conditions related to pulse rate, respiration rate, and temperature of the wearer are met, the set of second conditions comprising: (a) a pulse rate trend of said pulse rate rising over a respective predetermined time interval and exceeding a pulse rate trend limit, (b) a respiration rate trend of said respiration rate rising over a respective predetermined time interval and exceeding a respiration rate trend limit, and (c) a temperature trend rising relative to a high temperature threshold or said temperature trend falling relative to a low temperature threshold,

wherein said first alarm corresponds to a more severe condition than said second alarm,

wherein the processor is configured to produce tiered outputs including a first output generated when the first set of conditions are met and a second output generated when the second set of conditions are met,

wherein the first output conveys a higher severity level than the second output via a user-perceivable indicator,

wherein, when conditions for both the first set and the second set are met, the processor is configured to present only the first output.

7 . The processor of claim 6 , wherein the first alarm is configured to deliver medication to said wearer, adjust a delivery of medication to said wearer or cease the delivery of medication to said wearer.

8 . The processor of claim 6 , wherein the second alarm is configured to deliver medication to said wearer, adjust a delivery of medication to said wearer or cease the delivery of medication to said wearer.

9 . The processor of claim 6 , wherein the first alarm is configured to electronically deliver drug administration instructions to a caregiver.

10 . The processor of claim 6 , wherein the second alarm is configured to electronically deliver drug administration instructions to a caregiver.

11 . The processor of claim 6 , wherein said first alarm signals a potential sepsis condition and said second alarm signals a potential sepsis condition.