There are several basic types:
Life support equipment is used maintain a patient's bodily function. These include medical ventilators, heart-lung machines, and dialysis machines.
Therapeutic equipment include infusion pumps (by far the most common), medical lasers and LASIK surgical machines.
Medical monitors allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical state. These measure ECGs, EEGs, blood pressure, and dissolved gassesses in the blood.
Medical imaging machines are used to aid diagnosis. These include ultrasound, MRI, CAT-scans, PET, and x-ray machines.
Medical laboratory equipment automate or help analyses of blood, urine and genes.
See also: