The system and method provide for electrocardiogram analysis and optimization of patient-customized cardiopulmonary resuscitation and therapy delivery. An external medical device includes a housing and a processor within the housing. The processor can be configured to receive an input signal for a patient receiving chest compressions and to select at least one filter mechanism and to apply the filter mechanism to the signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts from the signal. A real time dynamic analysis of a cardiac rhythm is applied to adjust and integrate CPR prompting of a medical device. Real-time cardiac rhythm quality is facilitated using a rhythm assessment meter.

A Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) device can include a compression mechanism configured to perform successive CPR compressions on a chest of a patient, the compression mechanism including a piston and a contact member attached to the piston, the contact member configured to make and maintain contact with the chest at a first position and a first orientation. The CPR device can also include a controller communicatively coupled with the compression mechanism, the controller configured to: receive at least one input; determine whether the piston should be adjusted based on the at least one input; and responsive to a determination that the piston should be adjusted, cause the piston to move so that the contact member makes and maintains contact with the chest at a second position and a second orientation.

In embodiments, a CPR chest compression system includes a retention structure that can retain the patient's body, and a compression mechanism that can perform automatically CPR compressions and releases to the patient's chest. The compression mechanism can pause the performing of the CPR compressions for a short time, so that an attendant can check the patient. The CPR system can include a user interface that can output a human-perceptible check patient prompt, to alert an attendant to check the patient during the pause. The compression mechanism can during a CPR session retreat a distance away from the patient's chest whereby the patient's chest can expand without active decompression of the patient's chest beyond the chest's natural resting position.

An automatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation device and a control method therefor are disclosed. The automatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation device comprises: a movable chest compressor for repeatedly pressing a patient's chest at a preset depth and cycle; a cardiac output measurement unit for measuring a cardiac output of the patient in accordance with the pressurization of the chest compressor; and a processor for changing pressing locations by performing control such that the chest compressor moves according to a preset method, wherein the processor controls the cardiac output measurement unit such that the cardiac output measurement unit measures the patient's cardiac output at each of the changed pressurized locations, selects a pressing location at which the patient's cardiac output becomes the maximum on the basis of the measured cardiac output, and performs control such that the chest compressor moves to the pressing location at which the patient's cardiac output becomes the maximum.

In embodiments, an external medical device is intended to care for a patient. If it receives an input that signifies that ventilation artifact is present in a signal of the patient, it transmits a corrective signal responsive to the received input. In further embodiments, a patient signal is received, which is generated from a patient while the patient is or was receiving chest compressions at a frequency Fc, and also receiving ventilations at frequency Fv. At least one filter mechanism may be applied to the patient signal to substantially remove artifacts at a) frequency Fc, b) a higher harmonic of frequency Fc, and c) a third frequency substantially equaling frequency Fc plus or minus frequency Fv, while substantially passing other frequencies between them. As a result, the patient signal can be cleaner, for diagnosing the patient's state more accurately.

A method of increasing blood flow to the head includes causing an individual's blood to circulate while the individual's heart and head are at a first elevation position, elevating the individual's heart and head to a second elevation position that is above the first elevation position, and causing the individual's blood to circulate while the individual's heart and head are at the second elevation position.

The system and method provide for electrocardiogram analysis and optimization of patient-customized cardiopulmonary resuscitation and therapy delivery. An external medical device includes a housing and a processor within the housing. The processor can be configured to receive an input signal for a patient receiving chest compressions and to select at least one filter mechanism and to apply the filter mechanism to the signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts from the signal. A real time dynamic analysis of a cardiac rhythm is applied to adjust and integrate CPR prompting of a medical device. Real-time cardiac rhythm quality is facilitated using a rhythm assessment meter.

Chest compression machine systems and methods adjust the administration of patient treatment based on received physiological parameter measurements, such as a CO.sub.2 measurement. Adjustment of the administered chest compressions can include adjusting one or more chest compression parameters, such as the depth of the administered compressions, the administration of active decompressions, adjusting the height of active decompression, adjusting the rate of compressions and/or active decompressions and/or other changes to one or more properties, or characteristics, of the administered chest compressions and/or active decompressions.

A method includes disposing a plurality of actuators about a subject, each actuator being configured to generate a respective vibration signal, each vibration signal applying a normal force to the subject, and controlling the plurality of actuators such that the respective vibration signal of each actuator of the plurality has a respective vibration characteristic. Each actuator is oriented such that the respective vibration signal propagates along a longitudinal axis of the subject for stimulation of the subject remote from the plurality of actuators.

A method for treating, preventing, or ameliorating cardiovascular disease in a subject involves exposing the subject for an effective duration to a condition of hypobaric normoxia or hypobaric hyperoxia. An apparatus or system useful for treating, preventing, or ameliorating cardiovascular disease includes an airtight chamber configured to accommodate and enclose a subject, and including at least one hatch to allow entry or exit of the subject; a vacuum source for adjusting pressure within the chamber to a level sufficient to maintain hypobaria; and a gas source for introducing one or more gases into the chamber, such as oxygen in an amount sufficient to produce a condition of normoxia or hyperoxia within the chamber, while maintaining hypobaria.