DETECTION OF CONGESTION FROM MONITORING PATIENT RESPONSE TO A RECUMBENT POSITION

• US 20110009709A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, John Hatlestsad, Qingsheng Zhu
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, John Hatlestsad, Qingsheng Zhu
• Inventors: Hatlestsad, John, Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Zhu, Qingsheng
• Application Number:
  US12/887,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Systems and methods obtain information that allows detection of whether a patient suffers from congestion by monitoring a response of the patient to a recumbent position of the patient'"'"'s body. The patient may be monitored to determine a respiration pattern for a non-recumbent position such as standing and a respiration pattern for a recumbent position such as lying down. The two patterns may be compared, either by a processing device or a physician, to determine a difference in the two respiration patterns. Furthermore, the congestion may be inferred from detecting an amount of time that the patient spends in a recumbent position or from detecting the recumbent angle that the patient obtains, either of which is presumed to indicate whether a recumbent position presents discomfort to the patient due to the presence of congestion.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a reclination sensor configured to produce a reclination signal indicative of a reclination of a patient;

reclination circuitry configured to produce reclination data from the reclination signal;

a processing device configured to communicate with at least the reclination circuitry to determine, from at least the reclination data, an amount of respiratory distress, and to determine, from the amount of respiratory distress, whether the patient is suffering from congestion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to determine a recumbent angle of the patient from the reclination data, the processing device being configured to compare the recumbent angle with a recumbent angle threshold to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing device is configured to limit the reclination data to a period when the patient is expected to be resting.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing device is configured to limit the reclination data to a period when the patient is known to be resting.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a clock configured to produce a timing signal, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine, from the reclination data and the timing signal, an amount of recumbent time for which the patient is in a recumbent position; and

compare the amount of recumbent time to a threshold value to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the threshold value includes a time threshold related to a congestive condition.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a respiration sensor that produces a respiration signal indicative of respiration patterns of the patient; and

respiration circuitry that produces respiration pattern data from the respiration signal, wherein the processing device is configured to;

determine, from the reclination data and the respiration pattern data, recumbent respiration pattern data and non-recumbent respiration pattern data;

compare the recumbent respiration pattern data and non-recumbent respiration pattern data; and

determine, using a result of the comparison, the amount of respiratory distress.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the respiration sensor is configured to produce a respiration signal in response to a change in trans-thoracic impedance.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reclination sensor includes a tilt switch.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reclination sensor includes an accelerometer.

11. A method comprising:

sensing reclination of a patient;

determining an amount of respiratory distress using at least the sensed reclination; and

determining, from the amount of respiratory distress, whether the patient is suffering from congestion.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining a recumbent angle of the patient from the sensed reclination; and

comparing the recumbent angle with a recumbent angle threshold to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining, from the sensed reclination, an amount of recumbent time for which the patient is in a recumbent position; and

comparing the amount of recumbent time to a threshold value to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising:

sensing respiration of the patient;

determining, from the sensed reclination and the sensed respiration, recumbent respiration data and non-recumbent respiration data;

comparing the recumbent respiration data and non-recumbent respiration data; and

determining, using a result of the comparison, the amount of respiratory distress.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sensing respiration of the patient includes sensing trans-thoracic impedance.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein sensing reclination of the patient includes internally sensing reclination.

17. A system comprising:

means for sensing reclination of a patient;

means for determining an amount of respiratory distress using at least the sensed reclination; and

means for determining, from the amount of respiratory distress, whether the patient is suffering from congestion.

18. The system of claim 17, comprising:

means for determining a recumbent angle of the patient from the sensed reclination; and

means for comparing the recumbent angle with a recumbent angle threshold to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

19. The system of claim 17, comprising:

means for determining, from the sensed reclination, an amount of recumbent time for which the patient is in a recumbent position; and

means for comparing the amount of recumbent time to a threshold value to determine the amount of respiratory distress.

20. The system of claim 17, comprising:

means for sensing respiration of the patient;

means for determining, from the sensed reclination and the sensed respiration, recumbent respiration data and non-recumbent respiration data;

means for comparing the recumbent respiration data and non-recumbent respiration data; and

means for determining, using a result of the comparison, the amount of respiratory distress.