METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC HEALTH TESTING EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

• US 3,675,640 A
• Filed: 04/09/1970
• Issued: 07/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James D. Gatts
• Original Assignee: James D. Gatts
• Inventors: Gatts, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US05/026,817
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.6R,2.6F,2.5R,2.1R,2R 272/69 73/379
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a dynamic health testing, evaluation and treatment comprising the recordation of test data from large numbers of individuals to establish dynamic physical performance norms for patients of many varied types. Historical data is taken from a patient which, in conjunction with a physical examination, is used to establish a specific theoretical dynamic physical performance norm for that particular patient and the recommended loading for the dynamic health testing machine. The patient is placed on the exercise machine which is under a programmed load based upon the basic data and numerous parameters of the patient'"'"''"'"'s state of health are monitored under dynamic conditions. The monitored information is continuously fed back to correct the programmed load to protect the patient against overstress. The patient'"'"''"'"'s performance is then compared with his own theoretical norm and treatment is recommended consistent with the patient'"'"''"'"'s age and health which would lead toward the achievement of the dynamic physical performance norm.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in dynamic health testing, evaluation and treatment of a medical patient, said apparatus comprising:

an exerciser means programmable to provide a selected load to cause a patient to exercise a predetermined amount;

sensing means connectable to the patient to sense at least one body function parameter of the patient while exercising for providing first output signals as a function of the amount of exercise undertaken by the patient;

an information storage means for providing second output signals from information stored therein indicative of the same body function parameters of at least one healthy human body when undergoing the same exercise;

comparison means for comparing said first and second output signals and providing an output indicative of any variation therebetween;

means for programming said exerciser in response to said second output signals; and

means for modifying said exerciser program in response to said first output signals.

2. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensing means senses a plurality of body function parameters and said information storage means includes means for providing second output signals indicative of a corresponding plurality of body function parameters derived from a composite of healthy human bodies when undergoing the same exercise, said information storage means further comprising:

means for storing data from said sensing means;

first means responsive to the information stored on healthy human bodies to provide output signals for generating individual performance curves for each body function parameter being measured and for generating a summary curve of all body function parameters being measured for the patient if he were in a normal state of health;

second means responsive to the data stored from the sensing means to provide output signals for generating individual performance curves for each actual body function parameter of the patient being measured and for generating a summary curve of all actual body function parameters being measured; and

third means responsive to output signals from said first and second responsive means to provide output signals for generating curves representative of the variance between the individual curves generated by the output of said first responsive means and the individual curves generated by the output of said second responsive means and representative of the variance between the summary curve generated by the output of said first responsive means and the summary curve generated by said second responsive means, respectively;

said comparison means further including;

plotting means for plotting said curves in response to said outputs of said first, second and third responsive means respectively.

3. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

means for updating the information in said information storage device as more data is developed.

4. A dynamic testing, evaluation and treatment method for determining the state of health of the body of a medical patient, said method comprising the steps of:

exercising the patient using an automatic processor controlled exercising means;

measuring at least one of the significant health parameters of the patient'"'"''"'"'s body while it is being exercised;

obtaining at least one of the same significant health parameters from a human body of the same characteristics while doing the same exercise and knowN to be in a good state of health;

feeding the above measured and obtained parameters to automatic processor means to compare the measured health parameters with the same parameters of the healthy human body; and

automatically compiling data in said processor means representative of any variation of the measured health parameters of the patient from the same parameters obtained from a human body of the same characteristics and known to be in a good state of health.

5. The method, as claimed in claim 4, including the further step of:

developing a therapy program for the patient based on the data representative of any variation which program is designed to rehabilitate the body of the patient under test to a more optimum state of health.

6. The method, as claimed in claim 4, including the further step of:

compiling data representative of the maximum rate of change of each measured parameter which the body under test may be subjected without physical danger from the significant health parameters of the human body of the same characteristics and known to be in a good state of health; and

modifying the patient'"'"''"'"'s exercise rate in response to any measured significant parameters undergoing a rate of change greater than the predetermined rate of change during the testing.

7. The method, as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said measuring step, said obtaining step and said comparing step include measuring, obtaining and comparing a plurality of significant health parameters.

8. A dynamic testing, evaluation, and treatment method for the purpose of determining the state of health of a human body of a medical patient, said method comprising the steps of:

exercising the patient using an automatic processor controlled exercising means;

measuring the rate of change of at least one of the significant health parameters of the patient'"'"''"'"'s body while it is being exercised;

obtaining at least one of the same significant health parameters from a human body of the same characteristics while doing the same exercise and known to be in a good state of health;

feeding the above measured and obtained parameters to automatic processor means to compare the rate of change of the measured health parameters with the rate of change of the same parameters of the healthy human body; and

automatically compiling data in said processor means representative of any variation of the rate of change of the measured health parameters from the rate of change of the same parameters obtained from a human body of the same characteristics and known to be in a good state of health.

9. The method, as claimed in claim 8, including the further step of:

developing a therapy program for the patient based on the data representative of any variation of the rate of change designed to rehabilitate the body of the patient under test of a more optimum state of health.

10. The method, as claimed in claim 8, further including the steps of:

compiling data representative of the maximum rate of change of each measured parameter which the body under test may be submitted without physical danger from the significant health parameters of the human body of the same characteristics and known to be in a good state of health; and

modifying the patient'"'"''"'"'s exercise rate in response to any measured significant parameters undergoing a rate of change greater than the predetermined rate of change during the testing.

11. The method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said measuring step, said obtaining step and said comparing step include measuring, obtaining and comparing a plurality of significant health parameters.