Patent classifications
A61N1/3937
Systems and methods for detecting health disorders
According to some embodiments, a wearable medical device capable of treating a patient presenting with syncope is provided. The wearable medical device includes a memory storing event profile information, a battery, at least one treatment electrode coupled to the battery, at least one processor coupled to the memory and the at least one treatment electrode, and an event manager executed by the at least one processor. The event manager is configured to detect an event associated with syncope; store, in the memory, data descriptive of the event in association with an indication that the data includes data descriptive of a syncopal event; and address the event.
WCD SYSTEM VALIDATING DETECTED CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS THOROUGHLY SO AS TO NOT SOUND LOUDLY DUE TO SOME QUICKLY SELF-TERMINATING CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS
A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) system may output a loud sound after detecting and validating a shockable cardiac arrhythmia. In such embodiments, however, the WCD system might not sound a loud alarm before validating the arrhythmia thoroughly, i.e. for a longer time, thus giving the arrhythmia a further chance to self-terminate. The WCD system may thus detect more robustly the cardiac arrhythmias that do not self-terminate quickly. Such arrhythmias that self-terminate quickly may occur from likely harmless events occurring multiple times in the daily life of the patient, such as the patient becoming “winded” from climbing stairs. In embodiments the WCD system may notify the patient only discreetly, or even not at all. The lack of sounding such a loud alarm responsive to such events reduces the overall number of times in which the patient experiences unwanted attention by others, embarrassment, loss of privacy and dignity, and so on.
Electrocardiogram identification
A defibrillating system includes a processor coupled to a memory. The processor and the memory are configured to identify a treatment event associated with treatment of a victim with the defibrillating system, and transmit a representation of a portion of an ECG signal associated with the identified treatment event. In some cases, the processor and the memory are configured to identify the portion of the ECG signal associated with the identified treatment event. In some cases, the portion of the ECG signal is of a predetermined length of time having a start time and an end time based on a time associated with the identified treatment event.
Neural network system for the evaluation and the adaptation of antitachycardia therapy by an implantable defibrillator
The system includes an active medical device with means for delivering defibrillation shocks; means for continuous collection of the patient current cardiac activity parameters; and evaluator means with neuronal analysis comprising a neural network with at least two layers. This neural network comprises upstream three neural sub-networks receiving the respective parameters divided into separate sub-groups corresponding to classes of arrhythmogenic factors; and downstream an output neuron coupled to the three sub-networks and capable of outputting an index of risk of ventricular arrhythmia. The risk index is compared with a given threshold, to enable or disable at least one function of the device in case of crossing of the threshold.
Fault identification logic in an external readiness monitor for an automated external defibrillator (AED)
A monitoring device for monitoring the readiness state of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and communicating the state to a remote receiver is described. The method uses a fault identification logic operable to detect an AED with a depleted battery. An associated method is described as well. The monitoring device captures both of a parameter related to the activation of the AED fault alert indicator and a second parameter that indicates a positive AED battery state.
STIMULATION DEVICE FOR ELECTROTHERAPY AND METHOD FOR CHECKING THE POLARITY OF CONTACT ELECTRODES
The invention relates to a stimulation device for electrotherapy, in particular a defibrillator device and/or external pacemaker device, comprising: at least two contact electrodes (11, 12), which can be applied to the body of a patient at suitable stimulation positions and by means of which current pulses can be applied to the body of the patient (10), the first of the at least two contact electrodes (11, 12) acting as a supply electrode (12) having positive polarity, and the second of the at least two contact electrodes (11, 12) acting as a removal electrode (11) having negative polarity with respect to an emitted current pulse; and a current pulse generator (14), which is or can be connected to the contact electrodes (11, 12) by means of line connections (21, 17). In order to simplify the correct positioning of the contact electrodes on the body of the patient, a signal evaluation unit (15), which is or can be connected to the contact electrodes (11, 12), is provided for determining the application positions of the contact electrodes (11, 12) on the body of the patient (10), by means of which signal evaluation unit the polarity of the electrodes can also be automatically reversed in a preferred embodiment.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVED HIS BUNDLE AND BACKUP PACING TIMING
A system and method are provided. The system includes a HIS electrode configured to be located proximate to a HIS bundle. A pulse generator is coupled to the HIS electrode and is configured to deliver HIS bundle pacing (HBP), a right atrial (RA) electrode is located in a right atrium, a sensing circuitry coupled to the RA electrode and defines an RA sensing channel that does not utilize the HIS electrode. The system includes a memory including program instructions. The system includes a processor is configured to collect cardiac activity (CA) signals over the RA sensing channel utilizing the RA electrode. The CA signals include a far field (FF) component associated with a ventricular event (VE). The processor analyzes the FF component to identify first and second FF component (FFC) characteristics of interest (COI) of the ventricular event and utilizes the first FFC COI to apply a first capture class (CC) discriminator to distinguish between first and second capture classes. The first capture class includes first and second capture types. The processor utilizes the second FFC COI to apply a second CC discriminator to distinguish between at least one of i) the first and second capture types within the first capture class, or ii) third and fourth capture classes and manages HIS bundle pacing based on distinctions by the first and second CC discriminators.
DETECTING THE ONSET OF SENSING ISSUES USING SHORT INTERVALS
The disclosure describes an enhancement to lead monitoring techniques, which uses a sensing integrity counter (SIC). The techniques of this disclosure may enhance lead monitoring techniques by detecting possible sensing issues based on a significant increase in periodic, e.g., daily, SIC counts relative to previous periods. Some issues with sensing cardiac signals via implantable cardiac leads can result in an implantable medical device (IMD) measuring very short intervals between what appears to be sensed heart beats. Examples of issues include insulation breach, conductor fracture, or poor electrical connection, which may cause noise that appears to be an R-wave. The IMD may detect the noise, along with actual R-waves, and determine that there are relatively short (e.g., less than a threshold) intervals between the “R-waves.” A significant increase in the number or frequency of very short intervals between R-waves may indicate the date/time of a significant sensing issue.
ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC WAVEFORM AND PULSE GENERATION AND DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD
Electrotherapy waveform and pulse generation and delivery systems, methods and devices are described, such as for generation and delivery of defibrillation or pacing electrotherapeutic waveforms to patients, using open or closed loop current control. An example system includes a power supply, a therapeutic current control network and a controller. A therapeutic current control network may include at least one current control switch and a resonant tank. During delivery of an electrotherapeutic waveform to a patient with optional closed loop current control, the controller may compare a signal associated with a determined or estimated current provided to the patient with a signal associated with a reference waveform. Based at least in part on the comparison, the controller may adjust operation of the at least one current control switch of the therapeutic current control network in adjusting delivery of the electrotherapeutic waveform to the patient to correspond with the reference waveform. The system may utilize one or more of soft switching, wide bandgap materials and a bidirectional power supply.
MONITORING DEVICE AND METHOD
A monitoring device comprising: electric field detection circuitry configured to detect an electric field; and processing circuitry configured to: determine whether the detected electric field has a characteristic indicative of a predetermined electric field source; and if the detected electric field has the characteristic, output a signal indicating that the predetermined electric field source has been detected.