Method and apparatus for gauging severity of myocardial ischemic episodes

• US 20040122478A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lu, Steven N., Stadler, Robert W., King, Gary W., Moore, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/358 Detecting ST segments
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3629 in combination with non-electric therapy

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) for gauging the severity of ischemia in a patient'"'"'s heart includes a data collection module configured to receive data about the patient'"'"'s heart, a data processing module configured to process the data to identify an episode of ischemia in the patient and to determine if the episode is stable or unstable, and a reporting module configured to provide an alarm to the patient if the episode is unstable. A method executable by an implantable medical device to detect ischemia in a human heart suitably includes the steps of receiving data about the heart at the implantable medical device, processing the data within the implantable medical device to determine the severity of ischemia, and providing a response from the implantable medical device to the patient if ischemia is indicated.

Claims

1. A method executable by an implantable medical device to detect ischemia in a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data about the heart at the implantable medical device;

processing the data within the implantable medical device to determine the severity of an ischemic episode; and

providing a response from the implantable medical device to the patient, wherein the response is determined as a function of the severity of the episode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing step comprises the steps of determining whether the ischemic episode is stable or unstable.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the receiving step comprises receiving electrocardiogram (ECG) data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the processing step comprises interpreting an ST segment of the ECG data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the processing step further comprises interpreting accelerometer data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of gathering feedback data about the heart as the response is provided, and adjusting the response as a function of the feedback data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the response comprises providing a medication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the response comprises providing an electrical signal to the heart.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the response comprises neurological stimulation.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing results data in a memory if the ischemic episode is stable.

11. A method of gauging the severity of ischemia in a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering electrocardial data at an implantable medical device;

processing the electrocardial data to isolate an ST segment for the patient;

determining if the ST segment is depressed from a baseline to indicate an ischemic episode;

evaluating accelerometer data to determine if the ischemic episode is stable or unstable if the ST segment is depressed;

issuing a response to the patient, wherein the response is determined as a function of whether the ischemic episode is stable or unstable.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of administering a therapy if an unstable ischemic episode is indicated.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of storing data in a memory if a stable ischemic episode is indicated.

14. An implantable medical device for gauging the severity of ischemia in a patient'"'"'s heart, the device comprising:

a data collection module configured to receive electrocardial data and accelerometer data about the patient'"'"'s heart;

a data processing module in communication with the data collection module and configured to process the data to identify an episode of ischemia in the patient, wherein the data processing module is further configured to evaluate the electrocardial data and the accelerometer data to determine the severity of the episode; and

a response module configured to provide a response to the patient as a function of the severity of the episode.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a digital memory in communication with the data processing module, wherein the memory is operable to store historical data about the episode.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the processing module is further configured to identify the episode as a function of a depression in an ST segment portion of the electrocardial data.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the processing module is further configured to determine if the episode is stable or unstable as a function of the accelerometer data.

18. The device of claim 17 further comprising a response module configured to administer a therapy if the episode is unstable.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein the processing module is further operable to compare the episode to the historical data stored in the memory to verify that the episode is consistent with a pattern.

20. An implantable medical device for gauging the severity of ischemia in a patient'"'"'s heart, the device comprising:

means for gathering electrocardial data at an implantable medical device;

means for processing the electrocardial data to isolate an ST segment for the patient;

means for determining if the ST segment is depressed from a baseline to indicate an ischemic episode;

means for evaluating, if the ischemic episode is indicated, accelerometer data to determine if the ischemic episode is stable or unstable; and

means for issuing a response to the patient, wherein the response is determined as a function of the whether the ischemic episode is stable or unstable.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the means for evaluating comprises a means for checking historical data to verify that the ischemic episode conforms to a historical pattern if the stable ischemic episode is indicated