Methods and systems for predicting deterioration of a patients condition within a future time interval based on a time series of values for monitored physiological variables measured from a patient, and in some instances, providing advanced notice to clinicians or caregivers when deterioration is forecasted or modifying treatment for the patient are provided. In particular, deterioration of a patients condition is based on a Hopf bifurcation model and is predicted using a ratio of deviations for monitored physiological variables. A ratio of deviations relates the standard deviation and root mean square of successive differences for a set of physiological values measured over time. The RoD for one or more variables, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, may be used to predict the likelihood of the patients condition deteriorating into an unstable state as what occurs in a Hopf bifurcation.
