Patient control of therapy suspension

• US 10,086,202 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Seim, Gary T., Ternes, David J., Peterson, Les N., Vanderlinde, Scott, Hamann, Jason J., Ruble, Stephen B., Carbunaru, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wehrheim, Lindsey G
• Application Number:
  US14/255,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An example of a method performed by an implantable medical device (IMD) to deliver a therapy to a patient may include delivering the therapy to the patient, detecting a trigger that is controlled by the patient or a caregiver to the patient, and determining if at least one feature of the IMD for responding to a trigger is enabled. The IMD may be configured to allow the patient or the caregiver to the patient to enable the at least one feature. The method may further include, when the at least one feature is enabled, automatically implementing the at least one enabled feature in response to the detected trigger, including automatically suspending the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after a defined period after the detected trigger.

Claims

1. A method performed by an implantable medical device (IMD) to deliver a therapy to a patient, the method comprising:

enabling at least one feature of a trigger response controller that is configured to respond to a trigger, the IMD including the trigger response controller and the MD is configured to deliver the therapy when the at least one feature is enabled to respond to the trigger and when the at least one feature is not enabled to respond to the trigger, the at least one feature of the trigger response controller including automatically interrupting the therapy in response to a detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after a defined time after the detected trigger, wherein enabling includes enabling under control of a patient or a caregiver to the patient;

delivering the therapy to the patient;

detecting a trigger that is controlled by the patient or the caregiver to the patient; and

determining if the at least one feature is enabled, and automatically implementing the at least one enabled feature of the trigger response controller in response to the detected trigger when the at least one feature is enabled, including automatically interrupting the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after the defined period after the detected trigger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the therapy includes delivering vagal nerve stimulation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the therapy includes n neural stimulation for a cardiovascular therapy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically interrupting the therapy includes automatically stopping the therapy in response to the detected trigger or automatically adjusting an intensity of the therapy in response to the detected trigger.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a trigger includes detecting a magnetic field caused by holding a magnet external to the patient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined period is a defined time period or the defined period is a defined count of a recurring event that is identifiable by the implantable medical device.

7. A method performed by an implantable medical device (IMD) to deliver a therapy to a patient, the method comprising:

delivering the therapy to the patient;

detecting a trigger that is controlled by the patient or a caregiver to the patient;

determining if at least one feature of a trigger response controller is enabled, the IMD including the trigger response controller and the IMD is configured to deliver the therapy when the at least one feature is enabled to respond to the trigger and when the at least one feature is not enabled to respond to the trigger, and the at least one feature of the trigger response controller is configured to automatically suspend the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restore the therapy after a defined period after the detected trigger, wherein the IMD is configured to allow the patient or the caregiver to the patient to enable the at least one feature; and

when the at least one feature is enabled, automatically implementing the at least one enabled feature of the trigger response controller in response to the detected trigger, including automatically suspending the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after a defined period after the detected trigger.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the at least one feature is not enabled, automatically suspending therapy for as long as the trigger is detected.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the at least one feature is enabled, detecting another trigger event after automatically suspending the therapy and before automatically restoring the therapy, and extending suspension of the therapy in response to detecting the other trigger event, wherein the other trigger event is controlled by the patient or the caregiver.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the at least one feature is enabled, detecting another trigger event after the defined period and before automatically restoring the therapy, and extending suspension of the therapy in response to detecting the other trigger event, wherein the other trigger event is controlled by the patient or the caregiver.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the at least one feature is enabled, detecting another trigger event after the defined period and before automatically restoring the therapy, and automatically suspending the therapy another time in response to detecting the other trigger event.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising, when the at least one feature is enabled, detecting another trigger event before the defined period expires, and automatically responding to detecting the other trigger event by delivering the therapy before the defined period expires.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein delivering the therapy includes delivering vagal nerve stimulation for a cardiovascular therapy.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically suspending the therapy includes automatically stopping the therapy in response to the detected trigger.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically suspending the therapy includes automatically adjusting an intensity of the therapy in response to the detected trigger.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting a trigger includes detecting a magnetic field caused by a magnet held external to the patient.

17. A method, comprising:

delivering a vagal nerve stimulation therapy to a patient using an implantable medical device (IMD);

receiving at least one user-selected calendar date and time from a calendar-based scheduling program in an external system, wherein the calendar-based scheduling program is configured to allow the user to select the at least one calendar date and time to schedule times of therapy suspension, the user being a patient or a caregiver to the patient;

suspending the therapy delivered using the MD for at least one defined period based on the at least one user-selected calendar date and time; and

delivering the therapy after expiration of each of the at least one defined period.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an extend request for extending therapy suspension from the patient or the caregiver during a current one of the at least one defined period, and continuing to suspend the therapy after expiration of the current one of the at least one defined period.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an unsuspend request from the patient or the caregiver during a current one of the at least one defined period, and responding to the received unsuspend request by delivering the therapy before the current one of the at least one defined period expires.