Methods and apparatus for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of patients with sleep disordered breathing

• US 20070161913A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ann Tisthammer, Deridre Stewart, Malcolm Hebblewhite, Maya Vance, Michael Farrell, Robin Randolph
• Inventors: Vance, Maya, Farrell, Michael, Hebblewhite, Malcolm, Tisthammer, Ann, Randolph, Robin, Stewart, Deridre
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• 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 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient. The patient'"'"'s heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data is monitored and recorded continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales. Changes in the patient'"'"'s heart rate associated with changes in sleep disordered breathing can then be observed. More specifically, positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of sleep disordered breathing is applied while events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing are detected and recorded. At the same time, information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored and the stored information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient and the recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing are related to each other.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of a patient while treating sleep disordered breathing comprising the steps of:

delivering positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of sleep disordered breathing,

detecting and recording events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing,

storing information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient, and

relating to each other the stored information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient and the recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing.

2. A method for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of a patient while treating sleep disordered breathing in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of detecting and recording events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing includes detecting and recording data related to at least one of apneas, hypopneas, partial obstructions, snoring, pressure versus time, flow versus time, and leaks.

3. A method for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of a patient while treating sleep disordered breathing in accordance with claim 2 wherein the information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored such that it may be related to recorded sleep disordered breathing events over time.

4. A method for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of a patient while treating sleep disordered breathing in accordance with claim 1 wherein the information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored such that it may be related to recorded sleep disordered breathing events over time.

5. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease comprising the steps of:

delivering positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of respiratory disorders,

detecting and recording as a function of time events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders,

storing as a function of time information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient, and

relating to each other the information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient and the recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders.

6. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease in accordance with claim 5 wherein said step of detecting and recording events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders includes detecting and recording data related to at least one of apneas, hypopneas, partial obstructions, snoring, pressure versus time, flow versus time, and leaks.

7. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease in accordance with claim 6 wherein the information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored such that it may be related to recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders over time.

8. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease in accordance with claim 5 wherein the information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored such that it may be related to recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders over time.

9. A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient comprising the steps of monitoring and recording heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales, and observing changes in the patient'"'"'s heart rate associated with changes in sleep disordered breathing to relate to each other the cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of the patient.

10. A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient comprising the steps of monitoring and recording heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales, and observing changes in the patient'"'"'s heart rate associated with changes in sleep disordered breathing.

11. A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient by monitoring and recording heart rate and/or other cardiovascular data continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales.

12. A method for providing data collected during long-term treatment of a patient for sleep disordered breathing to a clinician who is treating at least one other disease that the patient has comprising the steps of:

performing long-term monitoring of the condition of said patient while treating the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing,

collecting and storing data concerning the condition of the patient that is obtained from said long-term monitoring, and

making the stored data available to a clinician who is treating at least one disease of the patient other than sleep disordered breathing.

13. A method for providing data collected during long-term treatment of a patient for sleep disordered breathing to a clinician who is treating at least one other disease that the patient has in accordance with claim 12 wherein said data is collected and stored while delivering positive airway pressure to said patient at therapeutic levels for treatment of sleep disordered breathing.

14. A method for providing data collected during long-term treatment of a patient for sleep disordered breathing to a clinician who is treating at least one other disease that the patient has in accordance with claim 13 wherein the data that is stored and made available concerns the cardiovascular condition of the patient and events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing.

15. A method for providing data collected during long-term treatment of a patient for sleep disordered breathing to a clinician who is treating at least one other disease that the patient has in accordance with claim 13 wherein the data that is stored and made available concerns the cardiovascular condition of the patient.

16. A method for providing data collected during long-term treatment of a patient for sleep disordered breathing to a clinician who is treating at least one other disease that the patient has in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data that is stored and made available concerns the cardiovascular condition of the patient.

17. A method for managing the care of an SDB and CVD co-morbid patient comprising the steps of:

(i) evaluating a questionnaire on the sleep history of the patient;

(ii) conducting overnight oximetry or sleep scoring of the patient and (iii) conducting a sleep study on the patient.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the questionaire includes questioning the patient whether they snore.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the sleep study is unattended and includes an Holter monitor.

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. Computer apparatus for assisting the care of an SDB and CVD co-morbid patient programmed to deliver prompts advising the carer to:

(i) Conduct a questionaire on the sleep history of the patient;

(ii) Conduct overnight oximetry or sleep scoring of the patient and

(iii) conduct a sleep study on the patient.

23. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the steps of prompting the carer of the appropriate reimbursement codes.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)