HEART FAILURE DETECTOR
First Claim
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1. A heart failure detector for detecting incipient heart failure of a patient comprising:
- an impedance measuring unit that obtains impedance signals reflecting volume changes of the right ventricle of a heart of said patient, said impedance measuring unit being connectable to at least two electrodes adapted to be located in said right ventricle such that volume changes of said right ventricle and/or said right atrium are reflected by said impedance signals;
a computerized impedance processing unit configured to receive said impedance signals from said impedance measuring unit and to process said impedance signals to determine a first impedance parameter substantially reflecting a volume of the right ventricle; and
a computerized heart failure status determining unit configured to determine a heart failure status based on said first impedance parameter, wherein a decreasing first impedance parameter is determined to be an indication of a deterioration of said heart failure status.
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Abstract
In an apparatus and method for detecting incipient heart failure of a patient. Impedance signals reflecting volume changes of the right ventricle and/or the right atrium of a heart of the patient are obtained. The impedance signals are processed to determine a first impedance parameter substantially reflecting a volume of the right ventricle, and a heart failure status is determined based on the first impedance parameter, wherein a decreasing first impedance parameter is determined to be an indication of a deterioration of the heart failure status.
68 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A heart failure detector for detecting incipient heart failure of a patient comprising:
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an impedance measuring unit that obtains impedance signals reflecting volume changes of the right ventricle of a heart of said patient, said impedance measuring unit being connectable to at least two electrodes adapted to be located in said right ventricle such that volume changes of said right ventricle and/or said right atrium are reflected by said impedance signals; a computerized impedance processing unit configured to receive said impedance signals from said impedance measuring unit and to process said impedance signals to determine a first impedance parameter substantially reflecting a volume of the right ventricle; and a computerized heart failure status determining unit configured to determine a heart failure status based on said first impedance parameter, wherein a decreasing first impedance parameter is determined to be an indication of a deterioration of said heart failure status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting incipient heart failure of a patient comprising:
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obtaining impedance signals reflecting volume changes of the right ventricle of a heart of said patient, using at least two electrodes adapted to be located in said right ventricle such that volume changes of said right ventricle and/or said right atrium are reflected by said impedance signals; processing said impedance signals to determine a first impedance parameter substantially reflecting a volume of the right ventricle; and determining a heart failure status based on said first impedance parameter, wherein a decreasing first impedance parameter is determined to be an indication of a deterioration of said heart failure status. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17)
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15. The method detector according to further comprising determining that a heart failure status of said patient is deteriorating if said first impedance parameter has decreased below a predetermined first impedance parameter threshold, and said second impedance parameter has decreased, or if said second impedance parameter remains substantially unchanged.
Specification