Method and system for assessing breathing effectiveness via assessment of the dynamic arterial pressure wave using the oscillometric measurement technique

• US 20060155167A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coherence LLC
• Original Assignee: Coherence LLC
• Inventors: Elliott, Stephen Bennett
• Granted Patent: US 7,458,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/125
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02225 using the oscillometric method
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00

Abstract

The present invention specifies a method and system for assessing breathing effectiveness via dynamic assessment of respiratory sinus arrhythmia and the consequent arterial pressure wave using the oscillometric measurement technique. Arterial pressure wave peak pressure, valley pressure, amplitude, and rate are characterized and displayed for diagnostic and remedial purposes. The dynamic change in respiratory sinus arrhythmia and resultant arterial pressure wave is visually presented in real time as user biofeedback. A respiratory sinus arrhythmia generator generates varying frequencies to which the user synchronizes their breathing cycle for purposes of increasing arterial pressure wave amplitude with a consequent increase in breathing depth and decrease in breathing frequency. An instructive method in the application of the present invention is also specified.

Claims

1. The broad method of assessing breathing effectiveness via characterization and measurement of the varying respiratory sinus arrhythmia induced arterial pressure wave for purposes of providing a comprehensive characterization of patient arterial pressure and cardiovascular health, specifically focusing on the assessment of optimality of patient breathing process and the impact of that process on systemic arterial pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein pulse pressure is employed as the basis of arterial pressure wave measurement and characterization including amplitude, periodicity, rate, and coherence thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein oscillometric measurement is employed for the purpose of assessing changes in arterial pressure wave pressure over a measurement interval multiple breathing cycles.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein pulse oscillation is sustained for a 60 second period by very gradually reducing cuff pressure such that multiple arterial pressure wave cycles can be measured during a single arterial pressure wave assessment cycle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein, arterial pressure wave assessment begins upon the detection of cardiac systole and the advent of corresponding pulse oscillations.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein arterial pressure wave “

amplitude as a function of oscillometric pulse oscillation amplitude is measured and displayed for diagnostic and remedial purposes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein arterial pressure wave “

rate”

as a function of oscillometric pulse oscillation periodicity is measured and displayed for diagnostic and remedial purposes.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein RSA actual is presented as a function of driving a display in real time with data corresponding to the serial data stream representing changes in arterial pressure wave pressure as a function of changes in oscillometric pulse amplitude is measured and displayed for diagnostic and remedial purposes.

2. The broad system for assessing breathing effectiveness via characterization and measurement of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia induced arterial pressure wave for purposes of providing a comprehensive characterization of patient arterial pressure and cardiovascular health, specifically focusing on the assessment of optimality of patient breathing process and the impact of that process on systemic arterial pressure.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein the “

RSA actual”

19 segment visual display is correlated with actual arterial pressure wave pressures specified in FIG. 13.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein the “

RSA target”

19 segment audio-visual display is driven by specific RSA signal generator values of FIG. 11.

13. The system of claim 2 wherein an “

RSA signal generator”

of frequencies 5 breathing cycles per minute, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, and 30 breathing cycles per minute is provided for purposes of breathing cycle synchronization.

14. The system of claim 2 wherein the RSA generator provides an audible chime that sounds at the peak of inhalation and at the peak of exhalation as presented on the visual display for purposes of aiding in the synchronization of the breathing cycle with the RSA generator.

15. The system of claim 2 wherein RSA target and RSA actual visual displays are correlated such that RSA actual values are correlated to RSA target values allowing the user to breathe in synchrony with the RSA target audio-visual indicator, this resulting in an RSA actual display that equates in amplitude and time to the RSA target display.

16. The system of claim 2 wherein a “

detect”

function is provided on the basis of arterial pressure wave high and low values as a function of oscillometric pulse oscillation highest and lowest amplitudes. The “

detect”

lamp illuminates on detection and is otherwise extinguished.

17. The system of claim 2 wherein a “

loss of sync”

indicator function is provided on the basis of the amplitude and periodicity coherence of arterial pressure wave high and low values as a function of oscillometric pulse oscillation highest and lowest amplitudes. The “

loss of sync”

lamp is illuminated on loss of sync and is otherwise extinguished.

18. The system of claim 2 wherein a “

fail”

indicator function is provided on the basis of “

detect”

threshold, “

loss of sync”

threshold, and measurement interval timer.

19. The system of claim 2 wherein all oscillometric samples are time stamped”

such that all measurement processing can occur in the time domain avoiding Fourier transformation.

20. The system of claim 2 wherein “

blood pressure” and

“

arterial pressure wave”

measurement functions are physically and functionally integrated.

21. The system of claim 2 wherein a “

mode switch”

switches between “

blood pressure” and

“

arterial pressure wave”

modes.

22. The system of claim 2 wherein human machine interface functions and physical relative positioning are specified.

23. The system of claim 2 wherein the preferred embodiment of the present invention is instantiated in hardware, software, or any combination of hardware and software.

3. The broad method of assessing breathing effectiveness via assessment of varying respiratory sinus arrhythmia via the assessment of the varying arterial pressure wave via the assessment of varying pulse pressure via oscillometry.

24. The 13 step instructive method specifying the diagnostic and remedial application of the preferred embodiments.