Non-invasive cardiac monitor and methods of using continuously recorded cardiac data

• US 20070249946A1
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: White, John, Kumar, Uday, Au-Yeung, Kit, Knight, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/515
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide methods of obtaining continuous cardiac information from a mammal. First, attach a self-contained, wearable, portable continuous cardiac monitor to the mammal to create a chamber containing electrodes used to detect cardiac signals from the mammal. Next, continuously detect without analyzing the cardiac signals from the mammal for at least 24 hours. Next, store information related to substantially all detected cardiac signals in the cardiac monitor.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining cardiac information from a mammal comprising:

Attaching a self-contained, wearable, portable cardiac monitor to the mammal to create a chamber containing electrodes used to detect cardiac signals from the mammal;

Continuously detecting without analyzing the cardiac signals from the mammal for at least 24 hours; and

Storing information related to substantially all detected cardiac signals in the cardiac monitor.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the self-contained, wearable, portable cardiac monitor comprises:

A plurality of electrodes, a power source and memory contained within a watertight housing.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the attaching step comprises placing the monitor on the mammal and sealing the chamber containing the electrodes against the mammal using an adhesive on the housing or a rim of the housing that surrounds the electrodes.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Providing a mammal perceivable indication that the cardiac monitor is operating.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the providing step is performed after the attaching step.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the providing step is performed after the storing step.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein the providing step is continuously performed during the continuously detecting step.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Providing an indication that the cardiac monitor is operating after the attaching step

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Retrieving stored information related to substantially all detected cardiac signals from the monitor.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

Removing the cardiac monitor from the mammal before the retrieving step.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

Analyzing the retrieved information to identify cardiac events.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the analyzing step is performed after the cardiac monitor is removed from the mammal.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the detecting and storing steps are performed without identifying cardiac events in the information related to substantially all detected cardiac signals.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the detecting and storing steps are performed without transferring information between the housing and a device not attached to the mammal.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the detecting and storing steps are performed without transferring information between the housing and a device not contained within the housing.

16. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Processing information from the storing step to determine the presence of an arrhythmia.

17. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Processing information from the storing step using more than one algorithm to determine the presence of an arrhythmia.

18. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Processing information from the storing step to evaluate the presence of an arrhythmia during a selected time interval.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the information from the storing step is processed during the same selected time interval on more than one day.

20. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

Processing information from the storing step to evaluate the presence of an arrhythmia during a time interval indicated by the mammal.