Heart Rate Monitoring of Anaesthesiology Residents during the Airway Management of COVID 19 Suspect Patients: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Anaesthesiologists undergo shear stress during the perioperative period, which was further increased during the COVID 19 pandemic. Many observational studies were done to find out the stress levels of the residents. Methods: This was a prospective observational cohort study of Anaesthesiology residents in a tertiary care academic institution. We have measured the minute to minute heart rate variability which can be an indirect measure of stress level with the help of wrist band MI 4 which works on the principle of PPG. Results: The difference between baseline HR and resting HR was observed to be substantial (p value 0.115 and 0.000 respectively). The percentage rise in heart rate during intubation from resting heart rate was 42.79 ± 25.54 percentage points. Conclusion: Users can use this type of ongoing information as a feedback option to increase their work efficacy. Understanding how to use these smart devices will assist us in balancing our stress-free day-to-day activities.

Keywords

• Covid-19
• Stress
• Smart devices
• Heart rate monitoring