ISO 19223:2019

Overview

ISO 19223:2019, titled Lung Ventilators and Related Equipment - Vocabulary and Semantics, is a comprehensive international standard developed by ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 121 and Subcommittee SC 4. It establishes a standardized vocabulary and precise semantic framework for terms used across all fields of respiratory care involving mechanical ventilation. This includes intensive care, anesthesia ventilation, emergency and transport ventilation, home care, and sleep-apnea breathing-therapy equipment.

The standard addresses the complexity and inconsistency in terminology surrounding lung ventilators and related devices by clarifying existing terms, limiting ambiguity, and introducing new terms only when necessary. It aims to facilitate clear communication among healthcare providers, manufacturers, researchers, and regulators, and to support safety and interoperability in respiratory care.

Key Topics

• Standardized Vocabulary and Semantics
  ISO 19223:2019 defines terms, definitions, symbols, and abbreviations related to mechanical ventilation, covering:

  • General artificial ventilation concepts
  • Breath terminology
  • Lung inflation terminology
  • Timing, phase, and cycle terminology
  • Rate, pressure, flow, and volume terminology
  • Initiation, termination, baseline pressures including PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure)
  • Ventilation modes and bi-level terminology
  • Safety limits, alarms, and gas ports terminology

• Scope of Application
  The standard is applicable to:

  • Lung ventilators and breathing therapy devices
  • Health informatics standards and electronic health records (EHR)
  • Labelling requirements for medical electrical equipment and systems
  • Instructions for use and accompanying documentation
  • Medical electrical system interoperability
  • Accessories related to ventilator breathing systems impacting safety or performance

• Exclusions
  Some specific ventilation methods are not addressed in detail, such as:

  • Physiologic closed-loop ventilation
  • High-frequency and negative-pressure ventilation
  • Liquid ventilation and extra-corporeal gas exchange
  • Breath therapy-specific terms outside the standard's direct scope

• Guidance and Illustrations
  The document includes informative annexes providing conceptual diagrams, classification of ventilation types and modes, implementation guidance, and an alphabetical index of terms to facilitate understanding and practical use.

Applications

• Clinical Care
  Enables healthcare professionals to use a consistent terminology when setting ventilators, monitoring patient-ventilator interactions, and documenting respiratory support to ensure patient safety and effective communication across care teams.

• Device Manufacturing
  Provides clear definitions for manufacturers of lung ventilators and related equipment, helping to standardize device labels, user manuals, and interoperability features aligned with international expectations.

• Health Informatics
  Supports development of health information systems, such as electronic health records and clinical decision support tools, by providing unambiguous terms for representing ventilation data and parameters.

• Research and Education
  Offers a solid terminological foundation used in scientific publications, training materials, and incident reporting systems, fostering better understanding and innovation in respiratory care.

• Regulatory and Safety Compliance
  Facilitates conformity with regulatory requirements by defining safety-related concepts such as alarm terminology, safety limits, and critical performance aspects related to ventilator operation.

Related Standards

• ISO 80601-2-12: Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-12: Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance of critical care ventilators
• ISO 17510 series: Sleep Apnea Breathing Therapy Equipment – Performance and Safety Requirements
• ISO/IEEE 11073 series: Health informatics – Point-of-care medical device communication
• IEC 60601 series: Medical electrical equipment safety standards
• Other ISO/TC 121 standards related to anesthesia and respiratory equipment

Keywords: ISO 19223:2019, lung ventilators vocabulary, mechanical ventilation terminology, respiratory care standards, medical device labelling, ventilator semantics, health informatics ventilation, ventilator interoperability, emergency ventilation terminology, home care ventilators, sleep apnea therapy vocabulary, ventilator mode definitions, respiratory equipment terminology.