External defibrillator with CPR prompts and ACLS prompts and methods of use

• US 6,356,785 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gliner, Bradford E., Snyder, David E., Snyder, Cecily Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US09/331,998
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 607/3-5, 601/41-44
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39044 in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] therapy

Abstract

This invention relates generally to defibrillators and, in particular, to a defibrillator with a built in CPR (“CPR”) prompt system. The invention also relates generally to a defibrillator with a built-in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (“ACLS”) prompt system. Defibrillators include manual defibrillator, automatic or semiautomatic external defibrillators (“AEDs”) and defibrillator trainers. More specifically, this invention is directed to a defibrillator system capable of generating audible prompts and/or visual prompts through an audible prompt generator and a visual prompt generator, wherein the defibrillator instructs a rescuer on performing CPR or ACLS. The instructions are controlled through a prompt generator and may be audible prompts or visual images, or a combination of the two. The prompts may be emitted at a predetermined rate and may be synchronized. This invention is also directed to a method for administering care comprising, providing instructions to a rescuer. The instructions are either CPR instructions, ACLS instructions, or a combination of the two. Both the ACLS and CPR systems are capable of providing instructions for treating both adults and pediatric patients.

Claims

1. A defibrillator comprising an energy source, an electrode interface, a controller, and an audible sound generator, wherein the defibrillator analyzes a heart rhythm, and provides a synchronized audible prompts to instruct a rescuer in delivering CPR on a patient, wherein the prompts comprise detailed instructions.

2. The defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the synchronized CPR prompts are audible prompts.

3. The defibrillator of claim 2 wherein the audible prompts are verbal.

4. The defibrillator of claim 2 wherein the audible prompts are tonal.

5. The defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the synchronized CPR prompts are for performing CPR on a child.

6. The defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the synchronized CPR prompts are for performing CPR on an adult.

32. The defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a data gatherer and wherein

if the patient is conscious, said data gatherer monitors at least one patient dependent parameter and the defibrillator delivers a first set of instructions to a patient caregiver;

or

if the patient is unconscious, said data gatherer monitors at least one patient dependent parameter and the defibrillator delivers a second set of instructions to the patient caregiver for treatment of an unconscious patient.

33. The defibrillator of claim 32 wherein the patient dependent parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

ECG, pulse, pulse oximetry, and blood pressure.

34. The defibrillator of claim 2 further comprising a data gatherer and wherein

if the patient is conscious, said data gatherer monitors at least one patient dependent parameter and the defibrillator delivers a first set of instructions to a patient caregiver;

or

if the patient is unconscious, said data gatherer monitors at least one patient dependent parameter and the defibrillator delivers a second set of instructions to the patient caregiver for treatment of an unconscious patient.

35. The defibrillator of claim 34 wherein patient dependent parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

ECG, pulse, pulse oximetry, and blood pressure.

7. A defibrillator comprising an energy source, an electrode interface, a controller, and a visual image generator, wherein the defibrillator analyzes a heart rhythm, and provides synchronized visual prompts and detailed audio instruction to instruct a rescuer in delivering CPR at a rate corresponding to the synchronized prompts.

8. The defibrillator of claim 7 wherein the defibrillator is capable of generating audible sound.

9. The defibrillator of claim 7 wherein the synchronized CPR prompts are visual prompts.

10. The defibrillator of claim 9 wherein the visual prompts are graphic images.

11. The defibrillator of claim 10 wherein separate graphic images are provided for chest compression of and rescue breathing steps.

12. The defibrillator of claim 11 wherein the visual prompts flash at a predetermined rate.

13. The defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the synchronized CPR prompts are audible prompts.

14. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the audible prompts are verbal.

15. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the audible prompts are tonal.

16. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the audible prompts are emitted at a predetermined rate.

17. The defibrillator of claim 13 where the audible prompts are synchronized with visual images.

18. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the visual images are timed to correspond with audible prompts.

19. The defibrillator of claim 7 wherein the instructions are for performing CPR on a child.

20. The defibrillator of claim 7 wherein the instructions are for performing CPR on an adult.

21. A defibrillator comprising:

a defibrillator, the defibrillator comprising an energy source, an electrode interface and an audible sound generator, wherein the electrode interface is in electrical communication with the energy source to provide electrotherapy to a patient;

a CPR instruction generator communicating with the audible sound generator; and

an ACLS instruction generator communicating with the audible sound generator;

wherein the CPR instruction generator generates synchronized prompts during delivery of CPR to instruct a rescuer in delivering CPR at a rate corresponding to the synchronized prompts, the synchronized prompts comprising detailed CPR instructions.

22. The defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the audible sound generator generates audible prompts in response to instructions from the ACLS instruction generator.

23. The defibrillator system of claim 22 wherein the audible prompts are verbal.

24. The defibrillator system of claim 22 wherein the audible prompts are tonal.

25. The defibrillator system of claim 22 wherein the audible prompts are emitted at a predetermined rate.

26. The defibrillator system of claim 22 wherein the defibrillator has a visual image generator.

27. The defibrillator system of claim 26 wherein the ACLS instruction generator communications with the visual image generator.

28. The defibrillator system of claim 26 wherein the visual image generator generates visual prompts.

29. The defibrillator system of claim 28 wherein the visual prompts are graphic images.

30. The defibrillator of claim 21 wherein the instructions are for performing CPR on a child.

31. The defibrillator of claim 21 wherein the instructions are for performing CPR on an adult.

36. A method of treating a patient using a defibrillator wherein

if the patient is conscious, monitor at least one patient dependent parameter and deliver a first set of instructions to a patient caregiver;

or

if the patient is unconscious, monitor at least one patient dependent parameter and deliver a second set of instructions to the patient caregiver for treatment of an unconscious patient.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein patient dependent parameters are selected from the group consisting of ECG, pulse oximetry, and blood pressure.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the first set of instructions are selected from the group consisting of:

normal cardiac function, tachyarrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction, and bradycardia.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the second set of instructions are selected from the group consisting of:

pulse less electrical activity, asystole, ventricular fibrillation, and shockable ventricular tachycardia.