Communications system for an implantable device and a drug dispenser

• US 20060206066A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ferek-Petric, Bozidar
• Application Number:
  US11/077,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206066A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/288.10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation

Abstract

A system for monitoring drug dispensation and drug effects on physiological signals or implantable medical device (IMD) performance is provided. The system includes a drug dispenser adapted for telemetric communication with an IMD, an IMD capable of acquiring time-based physiological or device performance data, and a programmer/monitor for receiving and displaying IMD-acquired data and drug dispensation data. The system may further include a patient activator for transmitting signals indicative of symptoms experienced by a patient associated with a side-effect caused by a drug or a condition for which the drug has been prescribed to treat. In an associated method, a drug dispensation signal is generated upon activation of the drug dispenser. IMD-acquired data, drug dispensation data, and patient symptom data are retrieved by a programmer/monitor. IMD-acquired data is combined with or grouped according to drug dispensation data and displayed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for dispensing a drug;

means for transmitting a drug dispensation signal in response to activation of the drug dispensing means;

means for acquiring time-based data in an implantable medical device;

means for storing the time-based data and the drug dispensation signal; and

means for displaying the time-based data with an indication of the time of drug dispensation signal transmission relative to the time-based data.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprises a program, the program including:

telemetry circuitry adapted to communicate with telemetry circuitry included in a drug dispenser;

telemetry circuitry adapted for communicating with telemetry circuitry included in an implantable medical device; and

memory for storing data received from the drug dispenser and from the implantable medical device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a processor for combining the data received from the drug dispenser with data selected from the data received from the implantable medical device data, wherein the selected data is responsive to a drug dispensed by the drug dispenser.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display for displaying the drug dispenser data and the selected implantable medical device data.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising a patient activator, the patient activator including:

telemetry circuitry for communicating with an implantable medical device; and

a button that, upon activation, causes the telemetry circuitry to transmit a patient symptom signal.

21. The patient activator of claim 20, wherein the button is a color of a drug that may cause the patient symptom or is used to treat a medical condition that causes the patient symptom.

2. A drug-dispenser, comprising:

a reservoir adapted for containing a drug, a drug outlet for releasing a drug contained in the reservoir;

a drug release member for causing the drug contained in the reservoir to be released through the drug outlet; and

a telemetry circuit for transmitting a drug dispensation signal in response to activation of the drug release member.

3. The drug-dispenser of claim 2 wherein the drug dispenser is the color of the drug to be contained in the reservoir.

4. The drug dispenser of claim 2 further including a patient feedback unit for generating a sensory signal in response to any of activation of the drug release member and transmission of a drug dispensation signal by the telemetry circuit.

5. An implantable medical device, comprising:

means for acquiring time-based data;

means for receiving drug dispensation data from an external drug dispenser; and

means for storing the time-based data with the drug dispensation data.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 5, further comprising:

means for transmitting the stored drug dispensation data and the stored time-based data to a programmer/monitor.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 5 wherein the means for acquiring time-based data comprises means for acquiring a physiological signal.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the physiological signal is a hemodynamic signal.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the physiological signal is a lung wetness signal.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 5 further comprising means for generating an alarm signal responsive to a programmed in drug regime if the means for receiving drug dispensation data has not received drug dispensation data.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 5 further comprising means for generating an alarm signal responsive to the time-based data to indicate a need for a prescribed drug.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 5 further comprising means for automatically adjusting operating control parameters in response to a programmed in drug regime if the means for receiving drug dispensation data has not received drug dispensation data.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 34 wherein the means for acquiring time-based data comprises means for acquiring the frequency of a delivered therapy.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 7 wherein the delivered therapy is a cardiac electrical stimulation therapy.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 7 wherein the means for acquiring time-based data comprises means for acquiring a response to a delivered therapy.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 9 wherein the response to the delivered therapy is the rate of cardiac pacing capture success.