Methods and systems to correlate arrhythmic and ischemic events

• US 9,282,901 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ostrow, Eliot L
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US13/855,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining whether there is a correlation between arrhythmias and myocardial ischemic episodes are provided. An implantable system (e.g., a monitor, pacemaker or ICD) is used to monitor for arrhythmias and to monitor for myocardial ischemic episodes. When such events are detected by the implantable system, the implantable system stores (e.g., in its memory) data indicative of the detected arrhythmias and data indicative of the detected myocardial ischemic episodes. Then, for each detected arrhythmia, a determination is made based on the data, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within a specified temporal proximity of (e.g., within a specified amount of time of) the arrhythmia. Where a myocardial ischemic episode occurred within the specified temporal proximity of an arrhythmia, data for the two events can be linked. Additionally, when a log of arrhythmias is displayed, for each arrhythmia there is an indication of whether a myocardial ischemic episode was detected within the specified temporal proximity of the arrhythmia. This abstract is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether there is a correlation between arrhythmias and myocardial ischemic episodes experienced by a patient, comprising:

using an implantable system to monitor for arrhythmias and to monitor for myocardial ischemic episodes;

storing, within the implantable system, data indicative of detected arrhythmias and data indicative of detected myocardial ischemic episodes;

for at least one detected arrhythmia, determining using a microprocessor of an external programmer, based on the data, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within a specific programmed time duration of the arrhythmia; and

displaying, on a display of the external programmer;

a log or graph of detected arrhythmias that indicates, for each arrhythmia, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within the specific programmed time duration of the arrhythmia,

a log or graph of detected myocardial ischemic episodes that indicates, for each myocardial ischemic episode, whether there was an arrhythmia detected within the specific programmed time duration of the myocardial ischemic episode, or

summary diagnostics that indicates a percentage of arrhythmias that occurred within the specific programmed time duration of a myocardial ischemic episode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the display to determine that there is a causal relationship between myocardial ischemic episodes and arrhythmias if there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within a specific programmed time duration of the arrhythmia; and

treating the patient'"'"'s ischemic condition based on the causal relationship.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the log of detected myocardial ischemic episodes includes an arrhythmia indicator, wherein the method further includes allowing a user to select the arrhythmia indicator, and wherein displaying, on a display of the external programmer comprises displaying information about an arrhythmia detected within the specified temporal proximity of the myocardial ischemic episode if the user selects the arrhythmia indicator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific programmed time duration is four hours.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific programmed time duration is four to six hours.

6. A method for determining whether there is a correlation between arrhythmias and myocardial ischemic episodes experienced by a patient, comprising:

obtaining, from an implantable system, data indicative of arrhythmias detected by the implantable system and data indicative of myocardial ischemic episodes detected by the implanted system;

for each detected arrhythmia, using a microprocessor of an external medical device, automatically determining, based on the data, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within a specified temporal proximity of the arrhythmia; and

if a myocardial ischemic episode is detected within the specified temporal proximity of the arrhythmia, using the microprocessor of the external medical device to link data indicative of the detected myocardial ischemic episode with data indicative of the arrhythmia and using a display of the external medical device to display at least one of;

the linked arrhythmia and ischemia data and their temporal proximity to one another,

the arrhythmia data and a graphical link to the ischemia data, or

the ischemia data and a graphical link to the arrhythmia data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying with the display of the external medical device a log of detected arrhythmias that indicates, for each arrhythmia, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within the specified temporal proximity of the arrhythmia.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

allowing a user to select one of the arrhythmias from the log; and

if a myocardial ischemic event was detected within the specified temporal proximity to the selected arrhythmia, displaying information about the selected arrhythmia and the myocardial ischemic episode.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a log of detected myocardial ischemic episodes that indicates, for each episode, whether there was an arrhythmia within the specified temporal proximity of the episode.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

allowing a user to select one of the myocardial ischemic episodes from the log; and

when an arrhythmia was detected within the specified temporal proximity to the selected myocardial ischemic episode, displaying information about the selected myocardial ischemic episode and the arrhythmia.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining what percentage of detected arrhythmias during a period of time occurred within the specified temporal proximity of an ischemic episode; and

displaying the determined percentage.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining what number of detected arrhythmias, out of a total number of detected arrhythmias during a period of time, occurred within the specified temporal proximity of an ischemic episode; and

displaying the determined number and the total number.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

using the display to determine that there is a causal relationship between myocardial ischemic episodes and arrhythmias if there was a myocardial ischemic episode detected within specified temporal proximity of the arrhythmia; and

treating the patient'"'"'s ischemic condition based on the causal relationship.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein the specified temporal proximity is four hours.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein the specified temporal proximity is approximately four hours.

16. A method for determining whether there is a correlation between arrhythmias and ischemic episodes experienced by a patient, comprising:

receiving from an implantable system, data indicative of detected arrhythmias and data indicative of a specified period leading up to each detected arrhythmia;

for each detected arrhythmia, determining, using a microprocessor of an external device, based on the data indicative of the specified period leading up to the arrhythmia, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode that occurred within the specified period leading up to the arrhythmia;

displaying on an external display an indicator that there was a myocardial ischemic episode that occurred within the specified period leading up to the arrhythmia.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a log of detected arrhythmias that indicates, for each arrhythmia, whether there was a myocardial ischemic episode that occurred within the specified period leading up to the arrhythmia;

allowing a user to select one of the arrhythmias from the log; and

when a myocardial ischemic event occurred within the specified period leading up to the selected arrhythmia, displaying information about the selected arrhythmia and the myocardial ischemic episode.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

using the display to determine that there is a causal relationship between myocardial ischemic episodes and arrhythmias if there was a myocardial ischemic episode that occurred within the specified period leading up to the arrhythmia; and

treating the patient'"'"'s ischemic condition based on the causal relationship.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein specified period is four hours.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein specified period is approximately four hours.