VITAL SIGNS MONITOR USED FOR CONDITIONING A PATIENT'S RESPONSE

• US 20050261594A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sotera Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Triage Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Banet, Matthew John
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/01 Emergency care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/16 Details of sensor housings or probes; Details of structural supports for sensors A61B2560/0462 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention provides a method for monitoring a patient, comprising the following steps: 1) outfitting the patient with a ambulatory blood pressure monitor that features an optical system for measuring blood pressure without using a cuff, and a wireless system configured to send and receive information sent from an Internet-based system through a wireless network; 2) sending from the Internet-based system to the ambulatory blood pressure monitor a signal that indicates a blood pressure level; 3) comparing a blood pressure value measured with the ambulatory blood pressure monitor to the blood pressure level; and 4) generating a signal in response to the comparing step.

Claims

1. A system for generating an alert based on a blood pressure value, the system comprising:

an adhesive patch sensor comprising

1) an optical system comprising a light-emitting diode which emits an optical wavelength, and a photodetector that detects reflected radiation from the light-emitting diode to generate a radiation-induced photocurrent,

2) an electrical system comprising an electrode that generates an electrical impulse from the patient'"'"'s skin, and

3) an adhesive component for adhering the adhesive patch sensor to the patient'"'"'s skin;

a processing component, in communication with the adhesive patch sensor, comprising

1) means for generating an optical waveform from the radiation-induced photocurrent,

2) means for generating an electrical waveform from the electrical impulse,

3) a microcontroller configured to operate an algorithm that determines a blood pressure value of the patient by processing the optical and electrical waveforms and at least one calibration parameter, and

4) means for generating an alert based on the patient'"'"'s blood pressure value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the algorithm of the microcontroller further comprises:

a first step for measuring a first amplitude of the optical waveform;

a second step for measuring a second amplitude of the electrical waveform; and

a third step for measuring a time delay between the first amplitude of the optical waveform and the second amplitude of the electrical waveform.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the algorithm of the microcontroller processes the time delay between the first and second amplitudes and at least one calibration parameter to determine a blood pressure value.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the algorithm of the microcontroller processes:

1) the electrical waveform to determine a heart rate of the patient;

     2) the optical waveform to determine a pulse oximetry value of the patient; and

     3) the optical and electrical waveforms to determine a blood pressure value of the patient.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cable connected to the adhesive patch sensor and the processing component.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transceiver comprised by the adhesive patch sensor and a wireless transceiver comprised by processing component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the alerting means is an audible alert.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing component further comprises means for transmitting the patient'"'"'s blood pressure value to an Internet-accessible website.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a drug-delivery system for administering a pharmaceutical compound to the patient in response to a blood pressure value.

10. A method for generating an alert based on a blood pressure value, the method comprising:

attaching an adhesive patch sensor proximal to an artery of the patient, the adhesive patch sensor comprising

1) an optical system comprising a light-emitting diode that emits a first optical wavelength, and a photodetector that detects reflected radiation from the light-emitting diode to generate at least one radiation-induced photocurrent,

2) an electrical system comprising an electrode that generates an electrical impulse from the patient'"'"'s skin, and

3) an adhesive component for adhering the adhesive patch sensor to the patient'"'"'s skin;

processing the radiation-induced photocurrent to generate an optical waveform;

processing the electrical impulse to generate an electrical waveform;

processing the optical waveform and the electrical waveform with a processing component in communication with the adhesive patch sensor, the processing component comprising a microcontroller configured to operate an algorithm that determines a blood pressure value for the patient by processing the optical and electrical waveforms; and

generating an alert based on the blood pressure value.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

measuring a first amplitude of the optical waveform;

measuring a second amplitude of the electrical waveform; and

measuring a time delay between the first amplitude of the optical waveform and the second amplitude of the electrical waveform.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising processing the time delay and at least one calibration parameter to determine a blood pressure value for the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing the electrical waveform to determine a heart rate of the patient;

processing the optical waveform to determine a pulse oximetry value for the patient; and

processing the optical waveform and the electrical waveform to determine a blood pressure value of the patient.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the blood pressure value of the patient to an Internet-accessible website.

15. A method for generating an alert based on a blood pressure value, the method comprising:

generating a first time-dependent optical waveform from a radiation-induced photocurrent indicating an amount of red light reflected off an artery of the patient;

generating a second time-dependent optical waveform from a radiation-induced photocurrent indicating an amount of infrared light reflected off an artery of the patient;

generating an electrical waveform from an electrical impulse from the patient'"'"'s skin;

analyzing the first time-dependent optical waveform and the second time-dependent optical waveform to generate time-dependent optical waveform properties;

analyzing the electrical waveform to generate at least one time-dependent electrical waveform property;

generating a real-time blood pressure value for patient from the time-dependent optical waveform properties, the at least one time-dependent electrical waveform property, and at least one calibration parameter; and

generating an alert if the blood pressure value falls outside of a predetermined blood pressure range.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising administering a pharmaceutical compound to the patient in response to the alert.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein generating the alert comprises audibly alerting the patient.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein generating the alert comprises visually alerting the patient.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting the blood pressure value to an Internet-accessible website.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting the alert to an Internet-accessible website.