Method and apparatus to detect and treat sleep respiratory events

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting and treating sleep respiratory events that includes a plurality of sensors gathering physiological data related to sleep respiratory events. A processor extracts an average cycle length and a frequency of at least one of Cheyne-Stokes respiration and periodic breathing based upon the physiological data, and determines whether therapy is required based on the average cycle length and the frequency.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A medical device for detecting and treating sleep respiratory events, comprising: 
 a plurality of sensors gathering physiological data related to sleep respiratory events; and    a processor extracting an average cycle length and a frequency of at least one of Cheyne-Stokes respiration and periodic breathing based upon the physiological data, and determining whether therapy is required based on the average cycle length and the frequency.    
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of an intracardiac impedance sensor, an intrathoracic impedance sensor, a body movement sensor, an oxygen sensor, and a pressure sensor.  
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the therapy includes overdrive pacing.  
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the therapy includes hypoglossal nerve stimulation.  
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit storing and updating the sleep respiratory events.  
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 5 , wherein the memory unit stores wake events corresponding to the sleep respiratory events.  
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor determines whether therapy is required based on a predetermined apnea hypopnea index.  
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined apnea hypopnea index is 15.  
     
     
         9 . A medical device for detecting and treating sleep respiratory events, comprising: 
 a plurality of sensors gathering physiological data related to sleep respiratory events;    a processor extracting an average cycle length and a frequency of at least one of Cheyne-Stokes respiration and periodic breathing based upon the physiological data, and determining whether therapy is required based on the average cycle length and the frequency; and    a memory unit storing and updating the sleep respiratory events, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of an intracardiac impedance sensor, an intrathoracic impedance sensor, a body movement sensor, an oxygen sensor, and a pressure sensor, and wherein the therapy includes one of overdrive pacing and hypoglossal nerve stimulation.    
     
     
         10 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the memory unit stores wake events corresponding to the sleep respiratory events.  
     
     
         11 . The medical device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor determines whether therapy is required based on a predetermined apnea hypopnea index.  
     
     
         12 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined apnea hypopnea index is 15.