MANAGING BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS

• US 20130345664A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Beck, Randall, Eichen, Jeffrey M., Hille, Dale R., Rogoyski, Jan, Williams, Jerry A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/504
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

A method, computer usable program product, or a system for managing a blood glucose level of a person including providing a device worn exterior to the person for monitoring a set of treatment factors and a set of environmental factors associated with the person, predicting a blood glucose level for the person based on the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors, and responsive to predicting a blood glucose level for the person dropping lower than a predetermined minimum value, supplying carbohydrates to the person.

Claims

1. A method of managing a blood glucose level of a person comprising:

providing a device worn exterior to the person for monitoring a set of treatment factors and a set of environmental factors associated with the person;

predicting a blood glucose level for the person based on the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors; and

responsive to predicting a blood glucose level for the person dropping lower than a predetermined minimum value, supplying carbohydrates to the person.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a signal to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising transmitting a signal to other persons in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining whether the person has accessed the carbohydrates, and responsive to a positive determination transmitting a signal to other persons.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the device is an insulin pump and wherein any infusion of insulin is suspended in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a container of carbohydrates is made available to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the container is contained within a bracelet which may be easily opened to access the container and which may be worn by the person.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising capturing and storing a history of the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors and generating a corresponding set of associated effects on blood glucose levels from the history of the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the set of treatment factors includes one or more items selected from the group of insulin basal rate, insulin bolus amounts, and blood glucose measurements, and wherein the set of environmental factors include one or more items selected from the group of heart rate, body temperature, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, rate of motion, perspiration, and skin electrical conductivity.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors are stored remotely for access and analysis by a health care provider.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 10 further comprising code for providing a signal to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value and transmitting a signal to other persons in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 10 wherein a container of a carbohydrates is supplied to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value and wherein the container is contained within a bracelet which may be easily opened to access the container and which may be worn by the person.

15. The computer usable program product of claim 10 further comprising code for capturing and storing a history of the set of treatment factors and a the set of environmental factors and generating a corresponding set of associated effects on blood glucose levels from the history of the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors, wherein the set of treatment factors includes one or more items selected from the group of insulin basal rate, insulin bolus amounts, and blood glucose measurements, and wherein the set of environmental factors include one or more items selected from the group of heart rate, body temperature, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, rate of motion, perspiration, and skin electrical conductivity.

11. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for use in managing a blood glucose level of a person, the computer usable program product comprising code for performing the steps of:

providing a device worn exterior to the person for monitoring a set of treatment factors and a set of environmental factors associated with the person;

predicting a blood glucose level for the person based on the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors; and

responsive to predicting a blood glucose level for the person dropping lower than a predetermined minimum value, supplying carbohydrates to the person.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 11 wherein the device is an insulin pump and wherein any infusion of insulin is suspended in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

16. A data processing system for managing a blood glucose level of a person, the data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions which when executed by the processor execute the steps of;

providing a device worn exterior to the person for monitoring a set of treatment factors and a set of environmental factors associated with the person;

predicting a blood glucose level for the person based on the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors; and

responsive to predicting a blood glucose level for the person dropping lower than a predetermined minimum value, supplying carbohydrates to the person.

17. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising program instructions for providing a signal to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value and transmitting a signal to other persons in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

18. The data processing system of claim 17 wherein the device is an insulin pump and wherein any infusion of insulin is suspended in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value.

19. The data processing system of claim 18 wherein a container of carbohydrates is supplied to the person in response to the predicted blood glucose level dropping lower than the predetermined minimum value, and wherein the container is contained within a bracelet which may be easily opened to access the container and which may be worn by the person.

20. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising capturing and storing a history of the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors and generating a corresponding set of associated effects on blood glucose levels from the history of the set of treatment factors and the set of environmental factors, wherein the set of treatment factors includes one or more items selected from the group of insulin basal rate, insulin bolus amounts, and blood glucose measurements, and wherein the set of environmental factors includes one or more items selected from the group of heart rate, body temperature, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, rate of motion, perspiration, and skin electrical conductivity.