Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system making shock/no shock determinations from multiple patient parameters

• US 9,592,403 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Affum Holdings DAC
• Original Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US14/941,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20160067514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 486 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3918 characterised by shock pathway, e.g. by electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock

Abstract

In embodiments, a WCD system includes one or more transducers that may sense patient parameters from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and thus render physiological inputs from those parameters. Individual analysis scores may be determined from the physiological inputs, and an aggregate analysis score may be determined from the individual analysis scores. A shock/no shock determination may be made depending on whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion. Accordingly, multiple inputs are considered in making the shock/no shock determination.

Claims

1. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“

WCD”

) system, comprising;

a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;

a power source;

an energy storage module configured to be coupled to the support structure, to be charged from the power source and to store an electrical charge;

a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module;

one or more transducers configured to render a plurality of physiological inputs from one or more patient parameters that are sensed from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body; and

a processor configured to;

determine a plurality of individual analysis scores from the physiological inputs,

determine an aggregate analysis score from a plurality of the individual analysis scores,

determine whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion, and

if it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met control the discharge circuit to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, else control the discharge circuit to not discharge the electrical charge through the patient for at least 27 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is not met.

2. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the one or more transducers include at least three Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes configured to contact the patient so as to define a plurality of vectors, and

in which the patient parameters are electrical patient physiological signals measured along the vectors,

the transducer further includes a measurement circuit, and

the physiological inputs reflect ECG measurements measured along the vectors.

3. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the patient parameter is a blood pressure,

the one or more transducers include a blood pressure sensor, and

the physiological inputs include blood pressure measurements.

4. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the patient parameter is a blood pressure,

the one or more transducers include two blood pressure sensors configured to render physiological inputs from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and

the physiological inputs include blood pressure measurements.

5. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the patient parameter is a blood oxygen saturation,

the one or more transducers include a pulse oximeter, and

the physiological inputs include blood oxygen saturation measurements.

6. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the patient parameter is a blood oxygen saturation,

the one or more transducers include two pulse oximeters configured to render physiological inputs from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and

the physiological inputs include blood oxygen saturation measurements.

7. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores are binary and reflect whether or not one or more individual shock criteria are met.

8. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores include number values that reflect respective likelihoods that a shock is needed.

9. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the individual analysis scores are binary, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing those of the individual analysis scores that have similar values.

10. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores.

11. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores while applying different weights to the individual analysis scores.

12. The WCD system of claim 1, in which

the discharge circuit is controlled to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, but only if:

additional physiological inputs have been rendered from the one or more patient parameters that are sensed from the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body,

additional individual analysis scores have been determined from the additional physiological inputs,

characteristic analysis scores have been determined from at least some of the additional individual analysis scores for respective ones of the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and

in which the aggregate analysis score has been determined from at least two of the characteristic analysis scores.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs which, when executed by at least one processor of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“

WCD”

) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, a power source, an energy storage module configured to be coupled to the support structure to be charged from the power source and to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module and one or more transducers, these one or more programs result in operations comprising;

sensing one or more patient parameters from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body by the one or more transducers;

rendering a plurality of physiological inputs from the sensed one or more patient parameters;

determining a plurality of individual analysis scores from the physiological inputs;

determining an aggregate analysis score from a plurality of the individual analysis scores;

determining whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion; and

if it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, else controlling the discharge circuit to not discharge the electrical charge through the patient for at least 27 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is not met.

14. The medium of claim 13, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores are binary and reflect whether or not one or more individual shock criteria are met.

15. The medium of claim 13, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores include number values that reflect respective likelihoods that a shock is needed.

16. The medium of claim 13, in which

the individual analysis scores are binary, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing those of the individual analysis scores that have similar values.

17. The medium of claim 13, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores.

18. The medium of claim 13, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores while applying different weights to the individual analysis scores.

19. The medium of claim 13, in which

the discharge circuit is controlled to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, but only if:

additional physiological inputs have been rendered from the one or more patient parameters that are sensed from the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body,

additional individual analysis scores have been determined from the additional physiological inputs,

characteristic analysis scores have been determined from at least some of the additional individual analysis scores for respective ones of the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and

in which the aggregate analysis score has been determined from at least two of the characteristic analysis scores.

20. A method for a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“

WCD”

) system, the WCD system including a support structure configured to be worn by a patient, a power source, an energy storage module configured to be coupled to the support structure to be charged from the power source and to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module and one or more transducers, the method comprising;

sensing one or more patient parameters from different parts of the patient'"'"'s body by the one or more transducers;

rendering a plurality of physiological inputs from the sensed one or more patient parameters;

determining a plurality of individual analysis scores from the physiological inputs;

determining an aggregate analysis score from a plurality of the individual analysis scores;

determining whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion; and

if it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met controlling the discharge circuit to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, else controlling the discharge circuit to not discharge the electrical charge through the patient for at least 27 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is not met.

21. The method of claim 20, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores are binary and reflect whether or not one or more individual shock criteria are met.

22. The method of claim 20, in which

one or more of the individual analysis scores include number values that reflect respective likelihoods that a shock is needed.

23. The method of claim 20, in which

the individual analysis scores are binary, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing those of the individual analysis scores that have similar values.

24. The method of claim 20, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores.

25. The method of claim 20, in which

the individual analysis scores include number values, and

the aggregate analysis score is determined by summing the individual analysis scores while applying different weights to the individual analysis scores.

26. The method of claim 20, in which

the discharge circuit is controlled to discharge the electrical charge through the patient within 5 min from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, but only if:

additional physiological inputs have been rendered from the one or more patient parameters that are sensed from the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body,

additional individual analysis scores have been determined from the additional physiological inputs,

characteristic analysis scores have been determined from at least some of the additional individual analysis scores for respective ones of the different parts of the patient'"'"'s body, and

in which the aggregate analysis score has been determined from at least two of the characteristic analysis scores.