APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF SYNCOPES

• US 20100249542A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Thijs, Jeroen Adrianus Johannes, Muehlsteff, Jens
• Application Number:
  US12/746,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249542A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0285 Measuring or recording phase velocity of blood waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices

Abstract

Apparatus for detecting impending vasovagal syncopes includes a plurality of ECG sensors (12), one of which is located close to the heart and a remote pulse sensor (22) located away from the heart. A processing unit (30) measures the pulse transit time for a pulse to travel from the heart ECG sensor to the remote pulse sensor.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting impending vasovagal syncopes, comprising:

a plurality of wearable sensors (8) for arrangement on a human body, the sensors including a plurality of ECG sensors (12), one of the sensors being a heart sensor for arrangement in a vicinity of the heart when the sensors are arranged on the body;

a remote pulse sensor (22) for arrangement on the human body away from the heart; and

a processing unit (30) arranged to receive data from the ECG sensors (12) and the remote pulse sensors, to determine a pulse transit time for a pulse to travel from the heart ECG sensor to the remote pulse sensor, and to determine a presence or advent of a vasovagal syncope from the pulse transit time.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote pulse sensor (22) is on a wristband (20).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the heart sensor is one of the plurality of ECG sensors (12).

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 arranged to determine the pulse transit time as the time between a predetermined feature of the ECG measured using the heart sensor and the pulse being detected by the remote pulse sensor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a patch (10) on which the ECG sensors are arranged.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the processing unit is arranged to determine the presence of a vasovagal syncope by comparing a ratio of the pulse transit time and a reference pulse transit time, and determining the presence of a vasovagal sycope when the ratio exceeds a predetermined value.

7. A method of processing data from a subject, comprising:

arranging a plurality of sensors over a body of the subject, the sensors including at least one heart sensor for arrangement in a vicinity of the heart and a remote pulse sensor (22) arranged on the human body away from the heart;

receiving data from the sensors;

determining a pulse transit time for a pulse to travel from the heart sensor to the remote pulse sensor; and

comparing a ratio of the pulse transit time and a reference pulse transit time.

8. A method according to claim 7, including

measuring the pulse transit time when the subject is standing still for a predetermined period;

using the measured pulse transit time as the reference pulse transit time.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

if the ratio of the pulse transit time and a reference pulse transit time exceeds a predetermined value, determining using an accelerometer if predetermined conditions exist.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising sounding an alarm if the ratio of the pulse transit time and a reference pulse transit time exceeds a predetermined value and the predetermined conditions exist.