APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING CALORIC EXPENDITURE USING POSTURE

• US 20120226114A1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lemont Baker
• Original Assignee: Lemont Baker
• Inventors: Baker, Lemont
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/22 Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow exercising apparatus A63B21/00 ; measuring of work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture

Abstract

Systems and methods for estimating caloric expenditure. The systems can include a physiological sensor to measure a patient'"'"'s physical activity, and a posture sensor to measure the patient'"'"'s posture. An estimated caloric expenditure can be calculated based on data from the physiological sensor and the posture sensor. For example, the estimated caloric expenditure can be calculated at least in part based on the posture data. For example, the estimated caloric expenditure can be validated based on the posture data.

Claims

1. A method of estimating caloric expenditure, comprising:

implanting in a patient a cardiac rhythm management device including a physiological sensor and a posture sensor;

determining the patient'"'"'s posture based upon signals generated by the posture sensor;

calculating an estimated caloric expenditure based on data provided by the physiological sensor; and

validating the estimated caloric expenditure based on an expected caloric expenditure calculated as a function of the patient'"'"'s posture.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of validating further comprises comparing the estimated caloric expenditure to an expected caloric expenditure identified based on the posture data.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising invalidating the estimated caloric expenditure if the estimated caloric expenditure exceeds the expected caloric expenditure.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of validating further comprises:

selecting an expected caloric expenditure based on the data from the posture sensor; and

comparing the estimated caloric expenditure to the expected caloric expenditure.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a historical trend of estimated caloric expenditures.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating the estimated caloric expenditure to an external device.

7. A method of estimating caloric expenditure, comprising:

measuring physical activity;

determining a present posture of a patient; and

calculating an estimated caloric expenditure based on measurements of the physical activity and the posture.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of calculating further comprises:

calculating the estimated caloric expenditure based on the physical activity;

selecting an expected caloric expenditure based on the posture; and

comparing the estimated caloric expenditure to the expected caloric expenditure.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising invalidating the estimated caloric expenditure if the estimated caloric expenditure exceeds the expected caloric expenditure.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising implanting a cardiac rhythm management device to measure the physical activity and the posture.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the cardiac rhythm management device comprises one of a minute ventilation sensor and an accelerometer for measuring the physical activity.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing a historical trend of estimated caloric expenditures.

13. A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:

a physiological sensor producing electrical signals associated with a patient'"'"'s physical activity;

a posture sensor producing electrical signals associated with the patient'"'"'s posture; and

a controller coupled to the physiological sensor and the posture sensor, the controller being configured to;

determine a current posture of the patient from the posture sensor signals;

calculate an estimated caloric expenditure as a function of the electrical signals from the physiological sensor and the patient'"'"'s posture, wherein caloric expenditure is defined as a number that corresponds to the amount of oxygen being consumed by the patient.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the physiological sensor includes an accelerometer.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the physiological sensor includes a minute ventilation sensor,

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the device is an implanted cardiac rhythm management device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the device is a rate adaptive pacemaker, and wherein the estimated caloric expenditure comprises a rate controlling parameter for the rate adaptive pacemaker.

18. The device of claim 13 further comprising a memory to store a historical trend of previously calculated estimated caloric expenditures.

19. The device of claim 13 further comprising a transceiver module configured to communicate the estimated caloric expenditure to an external device.

20. The device of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to calculate an estimated caloric expenditure as a function of electrical signals provided by the physiological sensor and posture sensor by validating a first estimated caloric expenditure calculated as a function of electrical signals provided by the physiological sensor with a second estimated caloric expenditure calculated as a function of the patient'"'"'s posture.