Several defibrillators, defibrillator architectures, defibrillator components and methods of operating defibrillators are described. In one aspect, a modular defibrillator architecture is described. A base unit provides a fully functional defibrillator. The functionality of the base unit can be supplemented by attaching an interface unit to the base unit or by connecting a smartphone the base unit. Such devices provide connectivity as well as a screen for displaying supplementary graphics and/or videos which are useful to support both emergency and maintenance & monitoring activities. In some embodiments a battery pack may also or alternatively be coupled to the base unit to prolong the unit's shelf life before recharging or replacement of its batteries is required. If necessary the base unit can be powered from a connected external device such as a mobile communication device.

A system for facilitating resuscitation includes: a first electrode assembly having a therapy side and a first motion sensor; a second electrode assembly having a therapy side and a second motion sensor; processing circuitry operatively connected to and programmed to receive and process signals from the first and second motion sensors to estimate at least one of a chest compression depth and rate during administration of chest compressions and to compare the chest compression depth or rate to a desired range; and an output device for providing instructions to a user to administer chest compressions based on the comparison of the estimated chest compression depth or rate to the desired range. One or both of the electrode assemblies may be constructed so that the conductive therapeutic portion is able to maintain substantial conformance to the anatomy of the patient when coupled thereto. For example, at least a portion of the flexible electrode pad may be able to flex from a more rigid sensor housing, or the sensor housing itself may be relatively small compared to the flexible electrode pad so as not to cause lift off of the therapeutic side from the patient.

The present invention relates to a medical device, in particular to an implantable medical device, comprising at least one implantable or non-implantable hemodynamic sensor configured for detecting hemodynamic cardiac signals, a controller configured for processing and analyzing the detected cardiac hemodynamic signals or signals derived from the detected cardiac hemodynamic signals by applying to said signals a Teager Energy Operator (TEO). The controller further comprises at least one algorithm configured to determine the need for a defibrillation operation by taking into account the at least one output hemodynamic signal. The present invention also provides a method and software for detecting or treating a ventricular fibrillation episode by taking into account cardiac hemodynamic signals.

An ambulatory medical device configured to analyze heart rates in different operating modes includes a plurality of ECG sensing electrodes, a plurality of therapy electrodes and at least one processor configured to in a default operating mode, perform a default heart rate calculation for determining a heart rate of the patient for use in detecting a cardiac arrhythmia condition of the patient. The at least one processor is configured to change a device operating mode from a default mode based on detecting patient activity to an activity operating mode, and in the activity operating mode, perform a different heart rate calculation from the default heart rate calculation for determining the heart rate for use in detecting the cardiac arrhythmia condition of the patient during the activity operating mode. The at least one processor is configured to deliver the treatment in response to detecting the cardiac arrhythmia condition.

Systems and methods related to the field of cardiac resuscitation, and in particular to devices for assisting rescuers in performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are described herein. A method for managing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) treatment to a person in need of emergency assistance includes monitoring, with an electronic medical device, a parameter that indicates a quality level of a CPR component being provided to the person by a user; determining, with the electronic medical device, that the parameter indicates that the quality level of CPR being provided is inadequate; and providing, to one or more rescuers of the person, an audible, visual, or tactile indication that a different person should perform the CPR component.

In some examples, a medical device system includes an electrode. The medical device system may include impedance measurement circuitry coupled to the electrode, the impedance measurement circuitry may be configured to generate an impedance signal indicating impedance proximate to the electrode. The medical device system may include processing circuitry that may be configured to identify a first component of the impedance signal. The first component of the impedance signal may be correlated to a cardiac event. The processing circuitry may be configured to determine that the cardiac event occurred based on the identification of the first component of the impedance signal.

A patient-worn arrhythmia monitoring and treatment device includes at least two pads configured to affix to skin on a torso of a patient. At least one of a pair of sensing electrodes is disposed on each one of the pads and configured to sense surface ECG activity of the patient. At least one of a pair of therapy electrodes is disposed on each one of the pads and configured to deliver one or more therapeutic pulses to the patient. A controller is in communication with the pairs of sensing and therapy electrodes and is configured to monitor for cardiac arrhythmias based on the sensed surface ECG activity and cause the delivery of the one or more therapeutic pulses. The device includes a removable garment to be worn about the torso to immobilize on the torso the one of the at least two pads to which the controller is coupled.

Systems and methods for monitoring chronic over-pacing (COP) to the heart are discussed herein. In an embodiment, a system includes a receiver circuit to receive information about pacing rates of a plurality of paced heart beats, and a pacing analyzer circuit to generate a pacing rate distribution using pacing rates of the plurality of the paced heart beats. The pacing rate distribution includes a pacing rate histogram. The pacing analyzer circuit may recognize a morphological pattern from the pacing rate distribution, and detect a COP indication using the extracted feature. A programmer circuit adjusts one or more therapy parameters in response to the detected. COP indication.

Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided that may include a system for patient monitoring and defibrillation. The system may include at least two defibrillation electrodes. The system may further include a first unit for physiological monitoring of a patient, including ECG monitoring circuitry for monitoring ECG of the patient. The first unit may store CPR chest compression data. The system may further include a second unit, separate from the first unit, which may communicatively couple with the first unit, for providing defibrillation pulses to the patient. The second unit may include a processor, communicatively coupled with the at least two defibrillation electrodes, for providing defibrillation pulses to the patient via the at least two defibrillation electrodes.

A wearable medical includes a walking detector module with a motion sensor that is configured to detect when the patient is walking or running. In embodiments, a parameter (referred to herein as a “Bouncy” parameter) is determined from Y-axis acceleration measurements. In some embodiments, the Bouncy parameter is a measurement of the AC component of the Y-axis accelerometer signal. This detection can be used by the medical device to determine how and/or whether to provide treatment to the patient wearing the medical device. For example, when used in a WCD, the walking detector can prevent “false alarms” because a walking patient is generally conscious and not in need of a shock.