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• if a more serious alarm condition is active in the same chain
• if a timeout period is in effect for a particular alarm
• if a timeout period is in effect for a higher alarm in that chain.
See “Arrhythmia Alarm Chaining” on page 136 for more details on alarm chains.
What is a Timeout Period?
Timeout periods are automatically started when a yellow arrhythmia alarm is detected. During this
period, the same alarm condition will not generate another alarm. Alarm conditions further down the
same arrhythmia alarm chain will also not generate an alarm, but alarms further up the chain will: see
“Arrhythmia Alarm Chaining” on page 136.
To view the timeout period configured for your monitor, in the
Setup Arrhythmia menu, see the
menu items
TimeOut 1st and TimeOut 2nd.
This setting can only be changed in Configuration Mode.
Resetting the Timeout Period
To reset the timeout period, select the Alarms Off or Pause Alarms permanent key and then reselect
it.
How are Yellow Arrhythmia Alarms Indicated?
When a yellow arrhythmia alarm is generated, it triggers visual and audible indicators. Yellow
arrhythmia alarms are always set to latch visually for three minutes except HR High/Low alarms, if
configured to standard yellow. Depending on the alarm condition, audible and visual alarm indicators
will appear as follows:
If you silence a yellow arrhythmia alarm and the alarm condition still exists, the visual indicators
continue until the condition stops. You will get an alarm reminder every time the configured timeout
period has expired.
If you silence a yellow arrhythmia alarm and the alarm condition has stopped, the visual
indicators are immediately cleared. Silencing an alarm does not reset its timeout period, so you will not
get a realarm for the same condition or lower on the chain until the timeout expires.
Alarm Condition Example Short yellow alarm tone sounds Alarm message
displayed
Single alarm
instance
Non-sustained V-
tach
when alarm condition is initially
detected
for 3 minutes (latching
time)
Continuous alarm
condition
PVCs/min HIGH when alarm condition is initially
detected and - as an alarm
reminder - every time the
configured timeout period has
expired
until the alarm
condition stops, plus a
maximum of three
minutes latching time
Same intermittent
alarm condition
Pair of PVCs each time the alarm condition is
detected, provided that the
configured timeout period has
expired