PHYSICAL CONDITIONING SYSTEM, DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20100063564A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew P. Kramer, Imad Libbus, Joseph M. Pastore, Julio C. Spinelli
• Original Assignee: Andrew P. Kramer, Imad Libbus, Joseph M. Pastore, Julio C. Spinelli
• Inventors: Spinelli, Julio C., Pastore, Joseph M., Kramer, Andrew P., Libbus, Imad
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

Various system embodiments comprise a neural stimulator and a controller. The neural stimulator is adapted to generate a stimulation signal adapted to elicit sympathetic activity at a neural target. The controller is adapted to control the neural stimulator to provide a physical conditioning therapy. The controller is adapted to control the neural stimulator to intermittently elicit sympathetic activity at the neural target. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for providing a physical conditioning therapy, wherein the means for providing the physical condition therapy includes;

a memory programmed with instructions for delivering a physical conditioning therapy that elicits sympathetic activity correlated to an exercise regimen to mimic a sympathetic response to the exercise program; and

means performing the instructions to elicit sympathetic activity correlated to the exercise regimen to mimic the sympathetic response to the exercise regimen,

wherein the means for eliciting the sympathetic activity includes means for intermittently stimulating a neural target to elicit the sympathetic activity correlated to the exercise regimen.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for integrating the physical conditioning therapy with an anti-hypertension therapy (AHT).

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for integrating the physical conditioning therapy with an anti-remodeling therapy (ART).

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting neural stimulation parameters to achieve a target physiological response to the physical conditioning therapy.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for terminating the physical conditioning therapy in response to an adverse physiological response.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for intermittently stimulating a neural target to elicit the sympathetic activity includes means for eliciting the sympathetic activity for a time period on the order of two hours or less for each episode of the physical conditioning therapy.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions programmed in the memory include instructions to intermittently elicit sympathetic activity according to a predetermined schedule.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for sensing a physiological response indicative of the elicited sympathetic activity.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for intermittently stimulating a neural target to elicit the sympathetic activity correlated to the exercise regimen includes means for intermittently eliciting sympathetic activity by stimulating neural traffic at a sympathetic neural target.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sympathetic neural target includes a peroneal nerve, a sympathetic column in a spinal cord, or cardiac post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions programmed in the memory include instructions to, when operated on by the controller, control the neural stimulator to intermittently elicit sympathetic activity by inhibiting neural traffic at a parasympathetic neural target.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the parasympathetic neural target includes a vagus nerve, a baroreceptor, or a cardiac fat pad.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for providing a second neural stimulation therapy adapted to elicit a parasympathetic response;

and means for simultaneously delivering the physical conditioning therapy and the second neural stimulation therapy.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for responding to a signal triggered by a user to initiate a session of the physical conditioning therapy.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for responding to a signal triggered by a user to terminate a session of the physical conditioning therapy.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising means or responding to a signal triggered by a user to titrate the physical conditioning therapy.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting neural stimulation parameters to achieve a target physiological response to the physical conditioning therapy.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the target physiological response includes a target heart rate.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the target physiological response includes a target blood pressure.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the target physiological response includes a target respiration.