System and method for predicting patient health within a patient management system

Abstract

Systems and Methods for predicting patient health and patient relative well-being within a patient management system are disclosed. A preferred embodiment utilizes an implantable medical device comprising an analysis component and a sensing component further comprising a three-dimensional accelerometer, a transthoracic impedance sensor, a cardio-activity sensor, an oxygen saturation sensor and a blood glucose sensor. Some embodiments of a system disclosed herein also can be configured as an Advanced Patient Management System that helps better monitor, predict and manage chronic diseases.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for predicting patient health and well-being within a patient management system comprising a medical device further comprising: 
 a. a sensing component in electronic communication with other components of the system including one or more sensors adapted to sense physiological function data;    b. an analysis component in electronic communication with other components of the system adapted to analyze the sensed physiological data; and    c. a communications component in electronic communication with other components of the system adapted to communicate the sensed or analyzed physiological data.    
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is an implantable medical device.  
     
     
         3 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises an accelerometer.  
     
     
         4 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer comprises a one-dimensional accelerometer.  
     
     
         5 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer comprises a two-dimensional accelerometer.  
     
     
         6 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-dimensional accelerometer.  
     
     
         7 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a transthoracic impedance sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a cardio-activity sensor.  
     
     
         9 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises an oxygen saturation sensor.  
     
     
         10 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a blood glucose sensor.  
     
     
         11 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a cardiac output/ejection fraction sensor.  
     
     
         12 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a chamber pressure sensor.  
     
     
         13 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a temperature sensor.  
     
     
         14 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a sodium sensor.  
     
     
         15 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a potassium sensor.  
     
     
         16 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a calcium sensor.  
     
     
         17 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a magnesium sensor.  
     
     
         18 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a pH sensor.  
     
     
         19 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a partial oxygen sensor.  
     
     
         20 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a partial CO2 sensor.  
     
     
         21 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a cholesterol sensor.  
     
     
         22 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a triglyceride sensor.  
     
     
         23 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a catecholamine sensor.  
     
     
         24 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a creatine phosphokinase sensor.  
     
     
         25 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a lactate dehydrogenase sensor.  
     
     
         26 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a troponin sensor.  
     
     
         27 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a prothrombin time sensor.  
     
     
         28 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a complete blood count sensor.  
     
     
         29 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a blood urea nitrogen sensor.  
     
     
         30 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a body weight sensor.  
     
     
         31 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a blood (systemic) pressure sensor.  
     
     
         32 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a adrenocorticotropic hormone sensor.  
     
     
         33 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a thyroid marker sensor.  
     
     
         34 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a gastric marker sensor.  
     
     
         35 . The sensing component of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing component comprises a creatinine sensor.  
     
     
         36 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer is adapted to sense the fine and gross body position of a person.  
     
     
         37 . The fine and gross body position of  claim 36 , wherein the sensed body position of the person comprises standing, sitting, lying on the back, lying on the stomach, lying upon the left side and lying on the right side.  
     
     
         38 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer is adapted to sense the fine and gross body motion of a person.  
     
     
         39 . The fine and gross body motion of  claim 38 , wherein the sensed body motion comprises a baseline measurement of patient activity.  
     
     
         40 . The fine and gross body motion of  claim 38 , wherein the sensed body motion comprises a measure of well-being.  
     
     
         41 . The fine and gross body motion of  claim 38 , wherein the sensed body motion comprises a measure of lethargy.  
     
     
         42 . The measure of lethargy of  claim 41 , wherein the measure comprises the magnitude of activity and the frequency of activity.  
     
     
         43 . The accelerometer of  claim 3 , wherein the accelerometer is adapted to detect a cough.  
     
     
         44 . The detected cough of  claim 43 , wherein the cough is analyzed to detect the onset of a common cold.  
     
     
         45 . The detected cough of  claim 43 , wherein the cough is analyzed to detect the onset of influenza.  
     
     
         46 . The detected cough of  claim 43 , wherein the cough is analyzed to titrate a drug.  
     
     
         47 . The titrated drug of  claim 46 , wherein the drug is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.  
     
     
         48 . The titrated drug of  claim 46 , wherein the drug comprises a near-term drug delivery system.  
     
     
         49 . The near-term drug delivery system of  claim 48 , wherein the system comprises communication with a clinician.  
     
     
         50 . The near-term drug delivery system of  claim 48 , wherein the system comprises communication with a patient.  
     
     
         51 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis is performed internal to the patient.  
     
     
         52 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis is performed external to the patient.  
     
     
         53 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis is performed, in part, internal to the patient.  
     
     
         54 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis is performed, in part, external to the patient.  
     
     
         55 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of early occurrence of a new disease state.  
     
     
         56 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of onset of illness.  
     
     
         57 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of progression of a disease.  
     
     
         58 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed accelerometer patterns that are indicative of early occurrence of a new disease state.  
     
     
         59 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed accelerometer patterns that are indicative of onset of illness.  
     
     
         60 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in sensed accelerometer patterns that are indicative of progression of a disease.  
     
     
         61 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in transthoracic impedance variation patterns that are indicative of early occurrence of a new disease state.  
     
     
         62 . The new disease state of  claim 61 , wherein the new disease state is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  
     
     
         63 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in transthoracic impedance variation patterns that are indicative of onset of illness.  
     
     
         64 . The onset of illness of  claim 63 , wherein the illness comprises asthma.  
     
     
         65 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes detecting changes in transthoracic impedance variation patterns that indicate progression of a disease.  
     
     
         66 . The progression of disease of  claim 65 , wherein the disease comprises heart failure.  
     
     
         67 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining sensed data to cross-validate sensed conclusions.  
     
     
         68 . The combined sensed data of  claim 67 , wherein the combined data includes a change in accelerometer data pattern coincident with inhalation/exhalation time ratio measured by transthoracic impedance.  
     
     
         69 . The combined data of  claim 68 , wherein the combined data indicates progression of asthma.  
     
     
         70 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes monitoring left and right intracardial R-wave amplitude.  
     
     
         71 . The analysis of  claim 70 , wherein the analysis includes singly reporting changes.  
     
     
         72 . The analysis of  claim 71 , wherein the analysis comprises an early and confident indication of onset of pulmonary edema.  
     
     
         73 . The analysis of  claim 70 , wherein the analysis includes correlating left and right intracardial R-wave amplitude data with accelerometer and transthoracic impedance data.  
     
     
         74 . The analysis of  claim 73 , wherein the analysis comprises an early and confident indication of onset of pulmonary edema.  
     
     
         75 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining accelerometer, transthoracic impedance and blood oxygen saturation data to form an early and confident indication of onset of pulmonary edema.  
     
     
         76 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining accelerometer, transthoracic impedance and blood oxygen saturation data to form an early and confident indication of progression of pulmonary edema.  
     
     
         77 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining accelerometer, transthoracic impedance, blood oxygen saturation, cardio-activity and blood glucose data for an early and confident indication of onset of cardiac and pulmonary disease states.  
     
     
         78 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining accelerometer, transthoracic impedance, blood oxygen saturation, cardio-activity and blood glucose data for an early and confident indication of changes in cardiac and pulmonary disease states.  
     
     
         79 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining data from other base sensors for an early and confident indication of onset of diseases other than cardio-pulmonary diseases.  
     
     
         80 . The analysis component of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis includes combining data from other sensors for an early and confident indication of progression of diseases other than cardiopulmonary diseases.  
     
     
         81 . The communications component of  claim 1 , wherein the communications are wired electronic communications.  
     
     
         82 . The communications component of  claim 1 , wherein the communications are wireless electronic communications.  
     
     
         83 . The communications component of  claim 1 , wherein the communications are a combination of wired and wireless electronic communications.  
     
     
         84 . A method for predicting patient health and well-being within a patient management system comprising a medical device comprising the steps of: 
 a. sensing physiological function data with one or more sensor components in electronic communication with other components of the system and adapted to sense such data;    b. analyzing the sensed physiological data with an analysis component in electronic communication with other components of the system and adapted to analyze the sensed data; and    c. communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological data with a communications component in electronic communication with other components of the system and adapted to communicate the sensed and analyzed data to the components of the system.    
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of sensing physiological function data comprises the further step of sensing a fine and gross body position of a person with an accelerometer.  
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of sensing physiological function data comprises the further step of sensing respiration function data of a person with an transthoracic impedance sensor.  
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of sensing physiological function data comprises the further step of sensing cardiac activity of a person with a cardio-activity sensor.  
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of sensing physiological function data comprises the further step of oxygen saturation of a person with an oxygen saturation sensor.  
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of sensing physiological function data comprises the further step of oxygen saturation of a person with a blood glucose sensor.  
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of analyzing sensed physiological function data comprises the further step of analyzing changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of early occurrence of a new disease state.  
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of analyzing sensed physiological function data comprises the further step of analyzing changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of onset of illness.  
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of analyzing sensed physiological function data comprises the further step of analyzing changes in sensed data patterns that are indicative of progression of a disease.  
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of analyzing sensed physiological function data comprises the further step of analyzing the sensed physiological function data by using clinically derived algorithms.  
     
     
         94 . The step of analyzing sensed physiological function data of  claim 93 , wherein the step comprises the further step of analyzing the sensed physiological data by using algorithms reflecting a standard of medical care of a medical institution.  
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of analyzing sensed physiological function data comprises the further step of analyzing the sensed physiological function data with an Advanced Patient Management system.  
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 84 , wherein the step of communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data comprises the further step of electronically communicating the sensed and analyzed data to other components of the system.  
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the step of electronically communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data comprises the further step of wirelessly communicating the sensed and analyzed data.  
     
     
         98 . The step of communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data of  claim 96 , wherein the step comprises the further step of communicating the sensed and analyzed data to a patient management system.  
     
     
         99 . The step of communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data of  claim 97 , wherein the step comprises the further step of communicating the sensed and analyzed data to a patient management system.  
     
     
         100 . The step of communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data of  claim 96 , wherein the step comprises the further step of communicating the sensed and analyzed data to an Advanced Patient Management system.  
     
     
         101 . The step of communicating the sensed and analyzed physiological function data of  claim 97 , wherein the step comprises the further step of communicating the sensed and analyzed data to an Advanced Patient Management system.