Method and apparatus to detect and monitor the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea

• US 20030204213A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Jensen, Donald N., Cho, Yong K., Condie, Catherine R.
• Application Number:
  US10/136,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204213A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea. The apparatus includes an intracardiac impedance sensor to measure intracardiac impedance, a movement sensor to measure an amount of movement of a patient, and a controller operatively coupled to said intracardiac impedance sensor and said movement sensor, said controller adapted to receive at least one of an intracardiac impedance and the amount of movement of the patient and detect obstructive sleep apnea based upon said intracardiac impedance and said movement.

Claims

1. A method of detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

measuring an intracardiac impedance to detect a change in the intracardiac impedance;

measuring an amount of movement of a patient; and

determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the intracardiac impedance and the movement of the patient.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein measuring the intracardiac impedance further comprises measuring the intracardiac impedance between an intracardiac atrial electrode and an intracardiac ventricular electrode.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein measuring the intracardiac impedance further comprises detecting a decrease in the intracardiac impedance.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein measuring the amount of movement of the patient further comprises detecting a low amount of movement of the patient.

5. A method of detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

measuring the intrathoracic impedance to detect a change in the intrathoracic impedance; and

determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the intrathoracic impedance.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein measuring the intrathoracic impedance further comprises measuring the intrathoracic impedance between an endocardial electrode and a pacemaker housing.

7. A method of claim 5, wherein measuring the intrathoracic impedance further comprises detecting a decrease in the intrathoracic impedance.

8. A method of detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

measuring impedance minute ventilation to detect a change in the impedance minute ventilation;

measuring an amount of movement of a patient; and

determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the impedance minute ventilation and the movement of the patient.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein measuring impedance minute ventilation further comprises detecting an increase in impedance minute ventilation followed by a decrease in impedance minute ventilation.

10. A method of claim 8, wherein measuring impedance minute ventilation further comprises detecting an immediate increase in impedance minute ventilation followed by a more gradual decrease in impedance minute ventilation.

11. A method of claim 8, wherein measuring the amount of movement of the patient further comprises detecting a low amount of movement of the patient.

12. A method of detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

detecting sinus tachycardia;

measuring an atrial-ventricular conduction to detect a change in the atrial-ventricular conduction; and

determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon detecting sinus tachycardia and the change in the atrial-ventricular conduction.

13. A method of claim 12, measuring the atrial-ventricular conduction further comprises detecting an increase in the atrial-ventricular conduction.

14. A medical device for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

means for measuring an intracardiac impedance to detect a change in the intracardiac impedance;

means for measuring an amount of movement of a patient; and

means for determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the intracardiac impedance and the movement of the patient.

15. A medical device for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

means for measuring the intrathoracic impedance to detect a change in the intrathoracic impedance; and

means for determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the intrathoracic impedance.

16. A medical device for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

means for measuring impedance minute ventilation to detect a change in the impedance minute ventilation;

means for measuring an amount of movement of a patient; and

means for determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon the change in the impedance minute ventilation and the movement of the patient.

17. A medical device for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

means for detecting sinus tachycardia;

means for measuring an atrial-ventricular conduction to detect a change in the atrial-ventricular conduction;

means for determining the presence of obstructive sleep apnea based upon detecting sinus tachycardia and the change in the atrial-ventricular conduction.

18. A medical device for detecting and monitoring obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:

an intracardiac impedance sensor to measure an intracardiac impedance;

a movement sensor to measure an amount of movement of a patient; and

a controller operatively coupled to said intracardiac impedance sensor and said movement sensor, said controller adapted to receive at least one of an intracardiac impedance and the amount of movement of the patient and detect obstructive sleep apnea based upon said intracardiac impedance and said movement.

19. The medical device of claim 18, wherein the movement sensor further comprises a piezo crystal.

20. The medical device of claim 18, wherein the movement sensor further comprises an accelerometer.

21. The medical device of claim 18, further comprising an intrathoracic impedance sensor operatively coupled to said controller to measure an intrathoracic impedance, said controller adapted to receive the intrathoracic impedance and to detect said obstructive sleep apnea based upon said intrathoraic impedance.

22. The medical device of claim 18, further comprising an electrical sensor operatively coupled to said controller to measure electrical activity in a heart, said controller adapted to receive the electrical activity and to detect said obstructive sleep apnea based upon said electrical activity.

23. The medical device of claim 22, wherein the electrical sensor detects cardiac depolarizations.

24. The medical device of claim 22, wherein the electrical sensor comprises an electrical sensing amplifier and at least one of a cardiac electrode and a subcutaneous electrode.

25. The medical device of claim 22, wherein at least one of the intracardiac impedance sensor, the intrathoracic impedance sensor, the movement sensor, and the electrical sensor is implantable.

26. The medical device of claim 18, further comprising a telemetry interface adapted to facilitate real-time access to the data on the controller.