Implantable myocardial ischemia detection, indication and action technology

Abstract

One embodiment enables detection of MI / I and emerging infarction in an implantable system. A plurality of devices may be used to gather and interpret data from within the heart, from the heart surface, and / or from the thoracic cavity. The apparatus may further alert the patient and / or communicate the condition to an external device or medical caregiver. Additionally, the implanted apparatus may initiate therapy of MI / I and emerging infarction.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 243,701, filed Sep. 15, 2002, which is a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,983, filed Aug. 6, 1999, which claims priority in Provisional Application No. 60 / 095,635, filed Aug. 7, 1998. U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 243,701 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,983 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Provisional Application No. 60 / 095,635 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for detection and treatment of the disease process known as myocardial ischemia and / or infarction (MI / I). BACKGROUND [0003] Ischemia occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is temporarily or permanently reduced, such as may result from the occlusion of a coronary artery. This occlusion may lead to local ischemia or infarction of the heart muscle. Ischemia may also occur over large sectio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention relates to methods and devices for detecting myocardial ischemia and infarction (MI / I) using implantable devices. The invention utilizes electrodes placed inside the heart or on the surface of the torso to capture the EGM signal and analyze it to detect MI / I. The invention can also use sensors placed in the blood stream to detect changes in blood oxygen, pH, conductance, etc. The invention can alert the patient with vibration, electrical, or auditory feedback and can also institute therapy automatically. The invention can be used in standalone devices or as a modification to existing implantable devices such as pacemakers, cardioverters, defibrillators, drug delivery pumps, and assist devices. The invention can detect MI / I by analyzing the features of the EGM signal, such as depolarization and repolarization, and can also use non-electrical measures such as hemodynamic and mechanical parameters. The invention can help improve the diagnosis and treatment of MI / I."

Problems solved by technology

This occlusion may lead to local ischemia or infarction of the heart muscle.

The event can also be chronic with continuously evolving symptoms and severity due to underlying heart disease, or very abrupt and possibly even fatal due to infarction of large enough area of the heart to cause a large myocardial infarction.

The ischemic event often causes the performance of the heart to be impaired and consequently manifests itself through changes in the electrical (e.g. the electrocardiogram signal), functional (e.g. pressure, flow, etc.) or metabolic (e.g. blood or tissue oxygen, pH, etc.) parameters of the cardiac function.

Notably, these devices do not specialize in the task of detecting, alerting the patient or treating ischemic heart disease.

The aforementioned cardiovascular medical monitoring technology and medical practice have several significant drawbacks in regard to the detection and treatment of coronary ischemia which can result in severe consequences to the patient up to and including death.

1) Not being able to immediately alert the patient and / or the physician of an ischemic event, particularly a life threatening event.

2) Not being ambulatory with the patient; and / or an inability to provide continuous monitoring to the patient and indication of the necessary diagnostic information to the physician.

6) Loss of specificity as to the site of ischemia due to inadequate placement of electrodes in the vicinity of the ischemia or infarction.

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