Method and system of monitoring cardiac function based on patient position

• US 9,955,884 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kesaniemi, Martti Ilmari
• Primary Examiner(s): Patton, Amanda
• Application Number:
  US15/041,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20170231516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 600509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method of monitoring the cardiac function of a patient includes receiving a position input from a position sensor attached to the patient and classifying the position input into a position class. Cardiac waveform data is received for the patient and then the cardiac waveform data is compared to model waveform parameters for the position class.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring cardiac function of a patient, the method comprising:

receiving a position input from a position sensor attached to the patient;

classifying the position input into a position class;

accessing model cardiac waveform parameters for the position class;

receiving cardiac waveform data for the patient;

determining whether model waveform parameters are established for the position class;

establishing new model waveform parameters for the position class if none exist; and

comparing the cardiac waveform data to the model cardiac waveform parameters for the position class.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the position class is one of a predefined set of position classes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined set of position classes includes at least a right side horizontal position, a left side horizontal position, a supine position, and a vertical position.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the position input is classified into the closest one of the predefined set of position classes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the position input is stable prior to classifying the position input into a position class.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the position sensor is an accelerometer.

7. The method of claim 1, further including determining a closest position class for which model waveform parameters are established, and establishing the new model waveform parameters for the position class based on the model waveform parameters for the closest position class.

8. The method of claim 1, further including adjusting one or more alarm conditions until the new model waveform parameters are established for the position class.

9. A system for monitoring cardiac function of a patient, the system comprising:

an electrocardiograph monitor configured to record cardiac waveform data from the patient;

at least one position sensor configured to sense a position of the patient and produce a position input;

a processor;

a position analysis module executable on the processor to;

receive the position input;

determine a position class based on the position input, wherein the position class is one of a predefined set of position classes;

output the position class;

a waveform analysis module executable on the processor to;

receive the cardiac waveform data;

determine whether model waveform parameters are established for the position class;

establish new model waveform parameters for the position class if none exist;

compare the cardiac waveform data to model cardiac waveform parameters for the position class to determine a cardiac status of the patient; and

output the cardiac status.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the predefined set of position classes includes at least a right side horizontal position, a left side horizontal position, a supine position, and a vertical position.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the position input is determined as the closest one of the predefined set of position classes.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the position analysis module is further executable on the processor to determine that the position input is stable prior to classifying the position input into a position class.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the position sensor includes an accelerometer attachable to a torso of the patient.

14. The system of claim 13, further including a second accelerometer attachable to the patient and configured to provide a second position input, wherein the position analysis module is further executable on the processor to receive the second position input and determine the position class based on the position input and the second position input.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the waveform analysis module is further executable on the processor to adjust one or more alarm conditions until the new model waveform parameters are established for the position class.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions include steps comprising:

receiving a position input from a position sensor attached to the patient;

classifying the position input into a position class, wherein the position class is one of a predefined set of position classes;

receiving cardiac waveform data for the patient;

determining whether model waveform parameters are established for the position class;

establishing new model waveform parameters for the position class if none exist; and

comparing the cardiac waveform data to model cardiac waveform parameters for the position class.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the predefined set of position classes includes at least a right side horizontal position, a left side horizontal position, a supine position, and a vertical position.