Greater understanding of the pathophysiology of carbon dioxide kinetics during steady and nonsteady state should improve, we believe, clinical care during intensive care treatment. Capnography and the measurement of end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PETCO2) will gradually be augmented by relatively new measurement methodology, including the volume of carbon dioxide exhaled per breath (VCO2,br) and average alveolar expired PCO2. Future directions include the study of oxygen kinetics.