Method and apparatus for controlling an alarm while monitoring

A method for monitoring a subject can include acquiring data from the subject, and dynamically adjusting an alarm limit based on the data. The method can also comprise determining a first value that is typical for the subject for the characteristic being monitored, determining a second value for the characteristic being monitored, and generating a comparison based on the two values. The method could also comprise setting a threshold for a characteristic being monitored, and decreasing the alarm limit if the data crosses the threshold. The method could also include setting an extremity limit. The following methods can be applied to the monitoring of a healthcare patient, or other subjects of interest. Also, the values used in the monitoring of the subject can be configured to be transferable from one monitor to another.