SUBSTANCE MONITORING AND CONTROL IN HUMAN OR ANIMAL BODIES

• US 20110257627A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cambridge Enterprises Limited
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Enterprises Limited
• Inventors: Hovorka, Roman
• Granted Patent: US 9,089,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/504
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14296 Pharmacokinetic models
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

Diabetes management apparatus comprising a sensor providing measurements of glucose level in a human or animal; an insulin pump for delivering a dose of insulin to said human or animal; and a processor. The processor is adapted to perform the following steps: receive said measurements of glucose level from said sensor; calculate a insulin dose to be delivered by said insulin pump based on said received measurement; assess the validity of the status of the apparatus; and send a command to said insulin pump to deliver said calculated insulin dose, dependent on said assessing step confirming that the status is valid. The insulin pump is configured to deliver a preset dose of insulin unless said processor sends a command to said insulin pump and wherein a said command sent to said insulin pump is valid only for a predetermined time interval so that if no further commands are sent to said insulin pump during said predetermined time interval, said insulin pump reverts to delivering said preset dose of insulin at the end of said predetermined time interval.

Claims

1. A diabetes management apparatus comprising:

a sensor providing measurements of glucose level in a human or animal;

an insulin pump for delivering a dose of insulin to said human or animal; and

a processor which is adapted to perform the following steps;

receive said measurements of glucose level from said sensor;

calculate a insulin dose to be delivered by said insulin pump based on said received measurement;

assess the validity of the status of the apparatus; and

send a command to said insulin pump to deliver said calculated insulin dose, dependent on said assessing step confirming that the status is valid,

wherein said insulin pump is configured to deliver a preset dose of insulin unless said processor sends a command to said insulin pump and wherein the command sent to said insulin pump is valid only for a predetermined time interval so that if no further commands are sent to said insulin pump during said predetermined time interval, said insulin pump reverts to delivering said preset dose of insulin at the end of said predetermined time interval.

2. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preset dose is a pre-programmed continuous infusion rate of insulin and said processor is configured to send a command which alters said continuous infusion rate.

3. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time interval has a duration of five, ten, fifteen, or eighteen minutes.

4. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by assessing whether or not the sensor is providing valid and/or not corrupted glucose measurements.

5. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by assessing whether or not the sensor is communicating correctly with the processor.

6. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by assessing whether or not the insulin pump is correctly delivering insulin.

7. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, comprising more than one sensor.

8. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a plurality of glucose sensors and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by assessing the concordance of the readings from the plurality of glucose sensors.

9. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a non-glucose sensor measuring a non-glucose substance and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by assessing the measurements from the non-glucose sensor.

10. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to confirm the validity of the system by determining the preferred operational mode for the time of day.

11. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitor for displaying information to a patient and/or for inputting information from a patient.

12. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said processor is integrated in said monitor.

15. A diabetes management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined time interval has a duration of five, ten, fifteen, or eighteen minutes.

13. A method of controlling diabetes comprising:

measuring glucose levels in a human or animal;

delivering insulin to said human or animal; and

controlling said delivery of insulin by performing the following steps;

calculating an insulin dose to be delivered based on said measurements;

performing a status integrity check;

issuing a command to deliver said calculated insulin dose, dependent on

confirmation that said status integrity check is valid;

wherein the issued command is valid only for a predetermined time interval so that if no further commands are issued during said predetermined time interval, said insulin delivery reverts to a preset dose of insulin at the end of said predetermined time interval.

14. A carrier carrying computer program code to, when running, implement the method of claim 13.