METHODS AND DEVICES FOR RELIEVING STRESS

• US 20100174200A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Respironics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Respironics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wood, Michael, Forbes, Adam, Rhys, Kirstin
• Granted Patent: US 8,938,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/288 for artificial respiration or heart massage
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Easy to use, cost-effective methods and devices for evaluating and treating stress and thereby disorders caused or exacerbated by stress are provided. More particularly methods and devices for identifying RSA waves during respiration which provide a subject with near real-time RSA wave information are provided. This information can be used in biofeedback settings to assist subjects in reducing levels of stress by achieving rhythmic breathing patterns.

Claims

1. A method of identifying at least one respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave in a subject comprising:

recording heart rate related intervals over time; and

analyzing heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, wherein said delineation includes identifying at least one transition point in the at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heart rate related interval is a pulse peak interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the heart rate related interval is a R wave interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one transition point is used to determine wave depth and the wave depth is used to determine at least one valley point or peak point in the at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

5. A method of reducing stress in a human subject comprising:

providing a subject with near real-time respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave information, wherein said information is derived from recording more than one heart rate related intervals of the subject; and

analyzing the more than one heart rate related interval of the subject sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, wherein said delineation includes indentifying at least one transition point in the at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the heart rate related interval is a pulse peak interval.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the heart rate related interval is a R wave interval.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said delineation comprises the identification of at least one top point and at least two bottom points.

9. A method for identifying rhythmic breathing comprising:

comparing at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves; and

determining when there is a small variation in at least one wave feature of the at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wave feature is selected from the group consisting of wavelength, frequency, amplitude, peak to peak time, and peak placement time, alone or any combination.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wave feature is wavelength and the small variation is 20% or less relative means deviation.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wave feature is frequency and the small variation is 20% less or less relative mean deviation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the wave feature is amplitude and the small variation is 20% or less relative means deviation.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the wave feature is peak to peak time and the small is 20% or less relative mean deviation.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the wave feature is peak placement time and the small is 20% or less relative means deviation.

16-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A handheld, portable biofeedback device for reducing stress in a human subject comprising:

a housing;

a photoplethysmograph sensor disposed in the housing, wherein the photoplethysmograph sensor generates data from the human subject;

a control system coupled to the photoplethysmograph sensor; and

a display screen,

wherein the control system is configured to process the data from the human subject for output to the display screen, the output data providing the human subject with information associated with the human subject'"'"'s stress level; and

wherein the housing, photoplethysmograph sensor, control system and display screen form an integrated structure wherein during respiration of a human subject said device is configured to record multiple heart rate related intervals of the subject;

and analyze heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the heart rate related interval is a pulse peak interval.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the heart rate related interval is a R wave interval.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein said delineation includes identifying a set of transition points in each individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the set of transition points includes at least one top point and at least two bottom points.

24. The device of claim 19, further comprising a breathing metronome capable of being activated by a subject, wherein the breathing metronome is programmed to deactivate after a predetermined period of time.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein the device further comprises a breathing metronome capable of being activated by a subject, wherein the breathing metronome is programmed to deactivate after a predetermined period of time.

26. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is configured to extract information related to respiration of a subject.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the information related to respiration includes rate, rhythm and volume.

40. The device of claim 19, wherein the control system is further configured to determine the human subject'"'"'s stress level by determining how far average wavelengths of the wave deviate from a level that represents a relaxed state of the user.

41. The device of claim 19, wherein the control system is further configured to determine a first value indicative of the human subject'"'"'s stress level by determining how far average wavelengths of the wave deviate from a level that represents a relaxed state of the user, to compute a second value indicative of how irregular the wave occurs, and to combine the first value and the second value to form an overall value indicative of an overall stress level the human subject.

28. A method of detecting erroneous data relating to respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave delineation comprising:

identifying at least 2 consecutive heart rate related intervals having an interbeat interval time less than a predetermined threshold or a threshold derived from a heart rate related interval set;

calculating a range for the interbeat interval times of the at least 2 consecutive heart rate related intervals; and

comparing each subsequent heart rate related interval with the calculated range to determine if it is within said range.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the heart rate related interval is a pulse peak interval.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the heart rate related interval is a R wave interval.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the interbeat interval time is less than 500 ms.

32. A method of correcting erroneous, data relating to respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave identification comprising:

identifying a heart rate related interval which is both not within a predetermined range and has an interbeat interval time greater than a threshold;

calculating a corrected heart rate related interval wherein

if the first heart rate related interval is less than the predetermined range, adding subsequent heart rate related intervals to the first heart rate related interval until the sum of said intervals is within or above the predetermined range;

if the first heart rate related interval or sum of said intervals is greater than the predetermined range and not divisible by an integer, adding subsequent heart rate related intervals to the first heart rate related intervals until the sum of said intervals is divisible by an integer such that the quotient is within the predetermined range; and

creating a corrected respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave based on the corrected heart rate related interval.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the heart rate related interval is a pulse peak interval.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the heart rate related interval is a R wave interval.

35. A method of adjusting scaling on the display of a portable biofeedback device during rhythmic respiration of a subject comprising:

determining the highest amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves over time;

and maintaining the scaling to correspond to the largest wave formed during respiration.

36. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising means for causing a computer to:

record heart rate related intervals over time; and

analyze heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, wherein said delineation includes identifying a set of transition points in each individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

37. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for identifying at least on respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave in a subject comprising:

recording heart rate related intervals over time; and

analyzing heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, wherein said delineation includes identifying a set of transition points in each individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

38. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising means for causing a computer to:

compare at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves; and

determine when there is a small variation in at least one wave feature of the at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves.

39. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for identifying rhythmic breathing comprising:

comparing at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves; and

determining when there is a small variation in at least one wave feature of the at least two consecutive respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves.

42. A method of identifying at least one respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave in a subject comprising:

recording heart rate related intervals over time; and

analyzing heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, wherein said delineation includes identifying at least one transition point in the at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave;

wherein the housing, photoplethysmograph sensor, control system and display screen form an integrated structure;

wherein the data generated from the human subject includes a wave, having a top and a bottom; and

wherein, whenever the wave has double tops or double bottoms, the control system is further configured to merge together the double tops or the double bottoms.

43. A method of detecting erroneous data relating to respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave delineation comprising:

identifying at least 2 consecutive heart rate related intervals having an interbeat interval time less than a predetermined threshold or a threshold derived from a heart rate related interval set;

calculating a range for the interbeat interval times of the at least 2 consecutive heart rate related intervals; and

comparing each subsequent heart rate related interval with the calculated range to determine if it is within said range

wherein the waves includes a wave, having a top and a bottom; and

wherein, whenever the wave has double tops or double bottoms, the double tops or the double bottoms are merged together.

44. A method of correcting erroneous data relating to respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave identification comprising:

using a processor for identifying a heart rate related interval which is both not within a predetermined range and has an interbeat interval time greater than a threshold;

the processor calculating a corrected heart rate related interval wherein;

if the first heart rate related interval is less than the predetermined range, adding subsequent heart rate related intervals to the first heart rate related interval until the sum of said intervals is within or above the predetermined range; and

if the first heart rate related interval or sum of said intervals is greater than the predetermined range and not divisible by an integer, adding subsequent heart rate related intervals to the first heart rate related intervals until the sum of said intervals is divisible by an integer such that the quotient is within the predetermined range; and

the processor creating a corrected respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave based on the corrected heart rate related interval;

wherein the data includes a wave, having a top and a bottom; and

wherein, whenever the wave has double tops or double bottoms, the double tops or the double bottoms are merged together.

45. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for identifying at least on respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave in a subject comprising:

recording heart rate related intervals over time; and

analyzing heart rate related intervals sufficient to delineate at least one individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave, the wave including a top and a bottom, the analysis including whenever the wave includes a double top or a double bottom then merging together the double top or the double bottom; and

wherein said delineation includes identifying a set of transition points in each individual respiratory sinus arrhythmia wave.

46. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling a computer processor, the computer readable program code comprising:

means for processing the wave, wherein the waves include a top and a bottom, and the processing includes whenever the wave has a double top or a double bottom then merging together the double top or double bottom;

means for compare at least two consecutive processed respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves; and

means for determine when there is a small variation in at least one wave feature of the at least two consecutive processed respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves.

47. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for identifying rhythmic breathing comprising:

processing the waves, wherein the waves include a top and a bottom, and the processing includes whenever the wave has a double top or a double bottom then merging together the double top or double bottom;

comparing at least two consecutive processed respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves; and

determining when there is a small variation in at least one wave feature of the at least two consecutive processed respiratory sinus arrhythmia waves.