PATIENT HEALTH IMPROVEMENT MONITOR

• US 20120203092A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Sweeney, Robert J., Wariar, Ramesh, Thompson, Julie A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,098,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/390
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36521 the parameter being derived from measurement of an electrical impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

Systems and methods to monitor an improvement of a subject'"'"'s physiological condition using a goal improvement profile are described. In an example, a physiological condition of a subject can be compared to a goal improvement profile, where the profile includes at least one target condition indicative of an improved physiological condition detectable using a physiological sensor signal, and a target time when the subject is expected to reach the target condition, where the comparison can be used to indicate whether the subject has met the target condition by the target time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a comparison circuit, configured to compare a physiological condition of a subject to a goal improvement profile that includes (1) at least one target condition indicative of an improved physiological condition detectable using a physiological sensor signal, and (2) a target time when the subject is expected to reach the at least one target condition; and

an indication generator circuit, configured to generate an improvement indication indicating whether the subject will meet the target condition by the target time.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a goal improvement profile generator, configured to create the goal improvement profile for the subject using at least one of a physiological data history of the subject, physiological data of a population that is comparable to the subject, or clinician input.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the target condition comprises an expected improvement to the physiological condition of the subject in response to a therapy provided by a caregiver.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the expected improvement to the physiological condition of the subject comprises an improvement in response to a treatment for a heart failure event.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the goal improvement profile comprises a goal improvement path over time between a start time and the target time, wherein the goal improvement path includes the at least one target condition.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the comparison circuit is configured to compare the physiological condition of the subject to the goal improvement path at one or more times between the start time and the target time to determine a progress parameter, wherein the progress parameter is indicative of whether the physiological condition of the subject is progressing towards reaching the target condition by the target date.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the indication generator circuit is configured to generate an indication using the progress parameter, the indication indicating whether the physiological condition of the subject is progressing towards reaching the at least one target condition by the target time.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising:

an ambulatory physiological sensor, configured to determine a physiological condition of the subject using an excitation signal, the excitation signal capable of being received at one or more locations;

a communication circuit, configured to receive one or more physiological sensor signals, wherein the physiological sensor signals are representative of a determined physiological condition of the subject; and

a memory circuit, configured to store the goal improvement profile.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to communicate a physiological sensor signal representative of the physiological condition of the subject determined from the excitation signal, wherein the physiological sensor signal is communicated using the excitation signal as a carrier.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a comparison circuit, configured to compare a physiological condition of a subject to a goal improvement profile that includes (1) at least one target condition indicative of an improved physiological condition detectable using one or more physiological sensor signals, and (2) a target time when the subject is expected to reach the at least one target condition;

an indication generator circuit, configured to generate an improvement indication, wherein the improvement indication indicates whether the subject will meet the target condition by the target time;

at least two electrodes, configured to sense an impedance-indicating signal at the skin of the subject to provide the physiological sensor signal; and

an adhesive band, configured to secure the comparison circuit, the indication generator circuit, and the electrodes to the subject, such that the apparatus is configured to be capable of providing the improvement indication from an ambulatory subject and without requiring a tether to the subject.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a communication circuit, configured to communicate the improvement indication using at least one of an audible or a visual indicator.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communication circuit is configured to be remotely communicatively coupled, via a computer or communications network, to communicate the improvement indication.

13. A method comprising:

automatically comparing a determined physiological condition to a goal improvement profile that includes;

(1) at least one target condition indicative of an improved physiological condition detectable using a physiological sensor signal, and (2) a target time when the subject is expected to reach the at least one target condition; and

automatically generating an improvement indication indicating whether the subject has met the target condition by the target time.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising creating the goal improvement profile for the subject using at least one of a physiological data history of the subject, physiological data of a population that is comparable to the subject, or clinician input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein creating the goal improvement profile comprises creating a goal improvement path over time between a start time and the target time, wherein the goal improvement path includes the at least one target condition.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising comparing the physiological condition of the subject to the goal improvement path at one or more times between the start time and the target time to determine a progress parameter, wherein the progress parameter is indicative of whether the physiological condition of the subject is progressing towards reaching the target condition by the target date.

17. The system of claim 16, comprising generating an indication using the progress parameter, the indication indicating whether the physiological condition of the subject is progressing towards reaching the at least one target condition by the target time.

18. The method of claim 13, comprising determining a post-decompensation heart failure decompensation status of a subject using a physiological sensor signal.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising receiving the physiological sensor signal from a sensor configured to be associated with the subject.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the physiological sensor signal comprises extracting the physiological sensor signal from an excitation signal, the excitation signal configured to determine a characteristic associated with the physiological condition of the subject.