Non-invasive apparatus system for monitoring autonomic nervous system and uses thereof

• US 6,811,536 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Terry B.J. Kuo
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Kuo, Terry B. J., Sun, Dehchuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Mary Beth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US10/244,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 600/500-509, 600/481, 600/485, 600/486
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A non-invasive apparatus system for monitoring autonomic nervous system, and its uses in monitoring autonomic nervous system functional change side effects caused by drugs and monitoring the aging of autonomic nervous system and tracing therapeutic effect thereof.

Claims

1. A non-invasive apparatus system to monitor the autonomic nervous system comprising:

(a) a sensor for measuring artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals to form electric waves representing the artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals; and

(b) an analyzer for receiving the electric waves from said sensor, wherein heart rate variability parameters in the electric waves are calculated by Fourier Transform or Fast Fourier Transform methods and spectral analysis;

wherein said analyzer calculates the degree of the functional changed side effects caused by drugs, to monitor aging of the autonomic nervous system and tracing therapeutic effect thereof, based on said heart rate variability parameters.

2. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomic nervous functional change side effects and the aging of autonomic nervous system comprise the syndromes comprising hypertension, hypotension, arrhythmia, insomnia, unregulated body temperature, blushing, dizziness, or sweating.

3. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensory device or one or more electrode chips.

4. The apparatus system according to claim 3, wherein the pressure sensory device is an apparatus worn on the wrist to measure the sphygmogram of a radial artery.

5. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the heart rate variability parameters are selected from groups consisting of heart rate period, variance, total power, very low frequency variability, low frequency variability, high frequency variability, low frequency variability/high frequency variability, percentage of low frequency variability, and percentage of high frequency variability.

6. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer further comprises a display device for showing the analyzing data and results recorded in the analyzer.

7. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer comprises a warning device for emitting warning signals.

8. The apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer further comprises an apparatus, which can transfer the measured and analyzed data to a terminal at hospitals or doctor'"'"'s end, and the apparatus can further receive the signals transferred from the hospital or doctor.

9. The apparatus system according to claim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted by a wire or transmitted wirelessly.

10. A method for monitoring autonomic nervous system functional change side effects caused by drugs, which comprises the utilization of a non-invasive apparatus system in monitoring and calculating the heart rate variability parameters before and after taking the drug;

wherein the value of change in the heart rate variability parameter being smaller than a predetermined value represents that the drug does not cause side effect to the autonomic nervous system, and the value of change in the heart rate variability parameter being between two predetermined values represents that the drug has induced a certain degree of functional change to the autonomic nervous system, and the value of change in the heart rate variability parameter being greater than a predetermined value represents that the drug has induced severe functional change to the autonomic nervous system; and

the non-invasive apparatus system includes;

(a) a sensor for measuring artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals to form electric waves representing the artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals; and

(b) an analyzer for receiving the electric waves from said sensor, wherein heart rate variability parameters in the electric waves are calculated by Fourier Transform or Fast Fourier Transform method and spectral analysis.

11. A method for monitoring aging of autonomic nervous system and tracing therapeutic effect thereof, which comprises the utilization of a non-invasive apparatus system in monitoring and calculating the heart rate variability parameters, and the comparison of the parameters with those of normal people at the same age and sex;

wherein the non-invasive apparatus system includes;

(a) a sensor for measuring artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals to form electric waves representing the artery sphygmograms or heart potential signals; and

(b) an analyzer for receiving the electric waves from said sensor, wherein heart rate variability parameters in the electric waves are calculated by Fourier Transform or Fast Fourier Transform method and spectral analysis.