Detection of congestion from monitoring patient response to a recumbent position

• US 7,384,395 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E, Zhu, Qingsheng, Hatlestsad, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser; Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US11/619,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 method of obtaining information related to congestion of a patient, the method comprising:

monitoring a recumbent angle of the patient over a period of time; and

comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold, wherein the recumbent angle threshold is related to a congestive condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a recumbent angle of the patient comprises obtaining the recumbent angle by using an acceleration.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

monitoring the recumbent angle of the patient over multiple periods of time to determine recumbent angle values for each period; and

analyzing the recumbent angle values for each period to determine a trend.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the recumbent angle comprises obtaining recumbent angle values during the period and obtaining a maximum recumbent angle value for the period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the recumbent angle comprises obtaining recumbent angle values during the period and obtaining an average of the recumbent angle values for the period.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising limiting the period to when the patient is expected or known to be resting.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising limiting the period to when the patient is expected to be resting.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising limiting the period to when the patient is known to be resting.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising discarding reclination data taken during a period that indicates an upright recumbent angle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold comprises comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a patient-specific recumbent angle threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold comprises comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold that is a specified percentage or fraction of a recumbent angle threshold that corresponds to a congestive condition.

12. A system for obtaining information related to congestion of a patient, the system comprising:

a reclination sensor that is configured to produce a signal indicative of a reclination of the patient;

reclination circuitry that is configured to produce reclination data from the reclination signal; and

a processing device that is configured to communicate with the reclination circuitry to determine a recumbent angle of the patient from the reclination data, and that is configured to compare the recumbent angle to a recumbent angle threshold that is related to a congestive condition.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the reclination sensor includes an accelerometer.

14. The system of claim 12, comprising a communication device adapted for transmitting the recumbent angle to another location.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is configured to limit the reclination data to a period to when the patient is expected or known to be resting.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing device is configured to limit the reclination data to a period to when the patient is expected to be resting.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing device is configured to limit the reclination data to a period to when the patient is known to be resting.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is configured to discard reclination data taken during a period that indicates an upright recumbent angle.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is configured to compare the recumbent angle of the patient to a patient-specific recumbent angle threshold.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is configured to compare the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold that is a specified percentage or fraction of a recumbent angle threshold tat corresponds to a congestive condition.

21. A system for obtaining information related to congestion of a patient, the system comprising:

means for determining a recumbent angle of the patient; and

means for comparing the recumbent angle to a recumbent angle threshold that is related to a congestive condition.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for determining a recumbent angle includes an accelerometer.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for transmitting information about the recumbent angle.

24. The system of claim 21, comprising means for limiting the reclination data to a period to when the patient is expected or known to be resting.

25. The system of claim 21, comprising means for discarding reclination data taken during a period that indicates an upright recumbent angle.

26. The system of claim 21, comprising means for comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a patient-specific recumbent angle threshold.

27. The system of claim 21, comprising means for comparing the recumbent angle of the patient to a recumbent angle threshold that is a specified percentage or fraction of a recumbent angle threshold that corresponds to a congestive condition.