Methods and apparatus for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of patients with sleep disordered breathing

• US 7,878,198 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ann Tisthammer, Diedre Stewart, Malcolm Hebblewhite, Maya Vance, Michael Farrell, Robin Randolph
• Inventors: Vance, Maya, Randolph, Robin, Farrell, Michael, Stewart, Diedre, Hebblewhite, Malcolm, Tisthammer, Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US10/598,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/200.24, 128/200.26, 128/204.21, 128/204.26
• US Class Current: 128/204.18
• 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 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient. The patient'"'"'s heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data is monitored and recorded continuously or periodically together with sleep disordered breathing information on similar time scales. Changes in the patient'"'"'s heart rate associated with changes in sleep disordered breathing can then be observed. More specifically, positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of sleep disordered breathing is applied while events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing are detected and recorded. At the same time, information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient is stored and the stored information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient and the recorded events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing are related to each other.

Claims

1. A method for determining the cardiovascular condition of a patient relative to a patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing while treating sleep disordered breathing comprising the steps of:

delivering positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of sleep disordered breathing with a pressure delivery device,

detecting and recording breathing-related events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing,

adjusting delivery of positive airway pressure based on detected events,

storing information concerning the breathing and cardiovascular condition of the patient and delivered positive airway pressure over time,

correlating the cardiovascular condition of the patient, the patient'"'"'s breathing, and treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing, and

determining changes to said patient'"'"'s cardiovascular condition relative to changes in breathing and changes in delivery of positive airway treatment.

2. A method for monitoring the cardiovascular condition of a patient while treating sleep disordered breathing in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of detecting and recording breathing-related events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s sleep disordered breathing includes detecting and recording data related to at least one of apneas, hypopneas, partial obstructions, snoring, pressure versus time, flow versus time, and leaks.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient includes information related to one or more of blood pressure, heart rate, oximetry data, electrocardiogram data, Holter analysis results, body mass index, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output data, and VO₂ max data.

3. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease comprising the steps of:

delivering positive airway pressure at therapeutic levels for treatment of respiratory disorders with a pressure delivery device,

detecting and recording as a function of time breathing-related events,

storing as a function of time information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient, and

correlating the cardiovascular condition of the patient, the patient'"'"'s breathing, and treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders, and

determining changes to said patient'"'"'s cardiovascular condition relative to changes in breathing and changes in delivery of positive airway treatment.

4. A method for treating respiratory disorders and simultaneously monitoring a patient for indications of cardiovascular disease in accordance with claim 3 wherein said step of detecting and recording breathing-related events associated with the treatment of the patient'"'"'s respiratory disorders includes detecting and recording data related to at least one of apneas, hypopneas, partial obstructions, snoring, pressure versus time, flow versus time, and leaks.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein information concerning the cardiovascular condition of the patient includes information related to one or more of blood pressure, heart rate, oximetry data, electrocardiogram data, Holter analysis results, body mass index, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output data, and VO₂ max data.

5. A method for relating to each other cardiovascular and sleep disordered breathing conditions of a patient with a pressure delivery device which records patient condition comprising the steps of

monitoring and recording heart rate and/or detailed echocardiogram data continuously or periodically

together with patient breathing and sleep disordered breathing treatment on similar time scales, and

correlate changes in the patient'"'"'s heart rate with changes in sleep disordered breathing and treatment.