Method and apparatus for detecting ischemia
First Claim
1. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart and taking a blood core temperature (TC) elsewhere, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus and determining if TCS increases relative to TC.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The current invention includes methods to monitor and detect myocardial ischemia/infarction using apical regional temperature and/or coronary sinus blood temperature, and comparing those measurements to regional baselines as well as the core body temperature. Methods for combining such temperature measurements with a broad series of other indicators of myocardial ischemia/infarction are explained. This invention also includes description of devices that put the above described method in use, as well as includes means to provide the patient and/or his health-care provider with easily accessible information leading to timely initiated therapy, and also means to communicate with other devices that provide such early treatment.
214 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart and taking a blood core temperature (TC) elsewhere, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus and determining if TCS increases relative to TC.
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2. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart after taking a baseline temperature (T-baseline) in the right atrium of the heart with said sensor, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus and determining if TCS increases relative to T-baseline.
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3. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart and a temperature sensor in the right atrium of a heart, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus and measuring temperature in the right atrium (TRA) sensed by said sensor in the right atrium and determining if TCS increases relative to TRA.
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4. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart, taking a blood core temperature (TC) elsewhere, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall and determining if T-apex decreases relative to TC.
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5. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart after taking a baseline temperature (T-baseline) in the right atrium of the heart with said sensor, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall and determining if T-apex decreases relative to T-baseline.
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6. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart and a temperature sensor in the right atrium of a heart, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall and measuring temperature in the right atrium (TRA) sensed by said sensor in the right atrium and determining if T-apex decreases relative to TRA.
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7. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, taking a blood core temperature (TC) elsewhere, attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall, and determining if the ratio of TCS to T-apex increases.
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8. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart after taking a baseline temperature (T-baseline) in the right atrium of the heart with said sensor, attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall, and determining if and determining if the ratio of TCS to T-apex increases.
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9. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart and a temperature sensor in the right atrium of a heart, attaching a temperature sensor in the wall of the apex of a heart, measuring temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus, measuring temperature of the apex (T-apex) sensed by said sensor in said wall, and determining if the ratio of TCS to T-apex increases.
- 10. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline and determining if the average of the waveforms increases.
- 19. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia involving tachycardia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline and determining if the frequency of the waveforms increases.
- 24. A method of detecting cardiac ischemia comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline, and determining if the amplitude of the waveforms decreases.
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28. A method of detecting rhythm abnormality of the heart comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline, and determining if the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus is atypical for waveforms of temperature in the normal heart.
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29. A method of tracing pressure in coronary arteries comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline, and ascertaining the phase of said waveforms.
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30. A method of determining blood flow in coronary arteries comprising placing a temperature sensor in the coronary sinus of a heart, measuring the waveforms of temperature in the coronary sinus (TCS) sensed by said sensor in the coronary sinus relative to a core blood temperature baseline, and ascertaining the shape of said waveforms.
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31. A method of monitoring a patient with coronary artery disease for occurrence of myocardial ischemia and/or infarction, which:
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(a) measures patient'"'"'s core body temperature, (b) measures patient'"'"'s right ventricular apex myocardial temperature, (c) calculates their difference, (c) uses the above said to indicate a change in the temperature gradient as criteria to indicate occurrence of ischemia and/or infarction. (d) selectively alarms the patient or the health caregiver in a time that best suits patient'"'"'s condition. - View Dependent Claims (32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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33. The method of claim 33 that is further characterized by that data from two or more locations across the coronary sinus and the great cardiac vein is used to indicate the specific region of the heart that suffers ischemia and/or infarction.
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39. Apparatus and software for monitoring a patient with coronary artery disease and indicate occurrence of myocardial ischemia and/or infarction, comprising:
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(a) rewritable data storage that keeps patients customized alarming criteria, and other information detailed below, (b) two temperature detectors for sensing temperatures of a patient'"'"'s right atrium and coronary sinus and generating signals representative of the sensed temperatures, (c) output device providing means for alarming the occurrence of myocardial ischemia and/or infarction, (d) processing unit that;
(i) communicates with temperature sensors and rewritable data storage (ii) runs the software that records temperature measurements, calculates the gradient and its change over time and analyses the pattern of temperature change based on the output of (b), stores these on a time stamped basis in (a), and uses such to detect occurrence of myocardial ischemia and/or infarction. (iii) communicates with the output device (c) to alarm the patient or patient'"'"'s health caregiver.
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40. The apparatus of claim 40 in which said detectors are located in the right atrium and right ventricular apex.
Specification