Devices and methods for treatment of heart failure and associated conditions

• US 8,326,430 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVRx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVRx, Inc.
• Inventors: Gerogakopoulos, Dimitrios, Lovett, Eric Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stice, Paula J
• Application Number:
  US12/485,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20100004714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/44, 600/436, 600/547, 600/345
• US Class Current: 607/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension

Abstract

Devices and methods of use identification, treatment, and/or management of heart failure and/or associated conditions. Methods may include providing a baroreflex therapy system, providing an implantable measurement device proximate a blood vessel of a patient, the implantable measurement device including a plurality of electrodes, determining an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle, generating at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform based on the impedance, activating, deactivating or otherwise modulating the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure based at least in part on the at least one signal representative of the pressure waveform.

Claims

1. A method of treating heart failure, comprising:

causing a baroreflex therapy system to be manufactured and made available to a user, the baroreflex therapy system configured to be implanted within a patient;

causing an implantable measurement device to be manufactured and made available to the user, the implantable measurement device configured to be implantable proximate a blood vessel of the patient, the implantable measurement device including a plurality of electrodes; and

causing a control system to be manufactured and made available to the user, the control system configured to be coupled to the baroreflex therapy system and the implantable measurement device, the control system programmed to automatically;

determine an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

generate at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform based on the impedance;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure based at least in part on the at least one signal representative of the pressure waveform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control system is further programmed to automatically:

determine an augmentation index from the at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system based on the augmentation index.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control system is further programmed to automatically:

determine arterial compliance from the at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system based on the arterial compliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control system is further programmed to automatically:

determine a myocardial oxygen consumption from the at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system based on the myocardial oxygen consumption.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control system is further programmed to automatically:

determine an augmentation index from the at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system based on the augmentation index.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control system is further programmed to automatically:

determine a parameter indicative of left ventricle mass from the at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system based on the parameter indicative of left ventricle mass.

7. A method, comprising:

causing a baroreflex therapy system to be manufactured and made available to a user, the baroreflex therapy system configured to be implantable within a patient;

causing an implantable measurement device to be manufactured and made available to the user, the implantable measurement device configured to be implantable proximate a blood vessel of the patient, the implantable measurement device including a plurality of electrodes;

causing a control system to be manufactured and made available to the user, the control system configured to be coupled to the baroreflex therapy system and the implantable measurement device; and

programming the control system with instruction recorded on a tangible medium for operating the control system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure, the instructions comprising;

determine an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

generate at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform based on the impedance;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure based at least in part on the at least one signal representative of the pressure waveform.

8. A system, comprising:

an implantable baroreflex activation device;

an implantable measurement device configured to be implanted proximate a blood vessel of a patient, the implantable measurement device including a plurality of electrodes; and

a control system coupled to the baroreflex activation device and the implantable measurement device, the control system programmed to automatically;

determine an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

generate at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform based on the impedance;

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure based at least in part on the at least one signal representative of the pressure waveform.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the implantable measurement device is integrated with the implantable baroreflex activation device.