WEARABLE DEFIBRILLATOR WITH AUDIO INPUT/OUTPUT

• US 20140324112A1
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Macho, John D., Volpe, Shane S., Rattanni, Richard A., Skalos, Philip C., Kaib, Thomas E., Linder, Marshal W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

A wearable defibrillator and method of monitoring the condition of a patient. The wearable defibrillator includes at least one therapy pad, at least one sensor and at least one processing unit operatively connected to the one or more therapy pads and the one or more sensors. The wearable defibrillator also includes at least one audio device operatively connected to the one or more processing units. The one or more audio devices are configured to receive audio input from a patient.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a medical condition of a patient, comprising:

monitoring sensor data provided by a plurality of sensors removably attached to a body of a patient, the plurality of sensors including a plurality of electrodes configured to sense cardiac data of the patient;

determining, in at least one processing unit operatively connected to the plurality of sensors, whether the patient has a treatable cardiac arrhythmia based on the sensor data;

providing therapy to the patient in response to a determination that the patient has the treatable cardiac arrhythmia; and

storing the sensor data provided by the plurality of sensors in a memory operatively connected to the at least one processing unit in response to a voice command from the patient to record the sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the sensor data to at least one of a central location and a health care provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing audio data provided by the patient in the memory in response to the voice command from the patient; and

communicating the audio data to the at least one of the central location and the health care provider.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

storing at least one survey question relating to the medical condition of the patient in the memory; and

audibly communicating the at least one survey question to the patient via a speaker.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a response from the patient to the at least one survey question; and

storing the response from the patient in the memory.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising communicating the response from the patient to the at least one of the central location and the health care provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein audibly communicating the at least one survey question includes audibly communicating the at least one survey question to the patient via the speaker at periodic intervals of time

8. The method of claim 7, wherein storing the response from the patient includes storing each response from the patient in the memory.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating each response to the at least one of the central location and the health care provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the patient was the treatable cardiac arrhythmia includes determining a confidence level that the patient is experiencing a life threatening cardiac arrhythmia.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing therapy to the patient includes delivering the therapy to the patient via at least one therapy pad in response to the determined confidence level indicating that the patient is experience the life threatening cardiac arrhythmia.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising sensing an amount of background noise.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the confidence level includes adjusting the confidence level dependent on the amount of the background noise.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the confidence level includes increasing the confidence level in response to detecting a low amount of background noise.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the confidence level includes decreasing the confidence level in response to detecting a high amount of the background noise.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising issuing an audible alert via a speaker in response to the determined confidence level indicating that the patient is experience the life threatening cardiac arrhythmia.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing a volume of the audible alert in response to detecting a high amount of background noise.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving output from one of a central location and a health care provider.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising audibly communicating the output to the patient via a speaker.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the output includes receiving instructions relating to at least one of set-up and operation of the wearable defibrillator.