System for managing glucose levels in patients with diabetes or hyperglycemia

Abstract

A blood glucose maintenance system for use by hyperglycemic individuals measures their blood glucose level and calculates an appropriate glucose or insulin dosage based on the measurement. Recheck intervals responsive to dosage history are determined. Warning or alert messages or signals are produced if certain measurements or calculations fall outside established normal ranges. It is particularly useful for patients in a hospital or in-patient environment.

1 . A system for maintaining a blood glucose level in an individual comprising:
 setup means for establishing a desired range of blood glucose levels for said individual;   measuring means for determining a blood glucose level for said individual;   calculating means responsive to said blood glucose level for determining a proper glucose dosage amount for said individual when said blood glucose level is below said desired range and for determining a proper insulin dosage amount for said individual when said blood glucose level is above said desired range;   delivery means for administering at least one of said glucose dosage amount or said insulin dosage amount to said individual;   evaluation means responsive to said blood glucose level for determining a time interval for said individual after which said individual's blood glucose level is to be re-measured; and   timing means for generating a signal when said time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         2 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said measuring means operates on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         3 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said measuring means operates on a continuous basis. 
     
     
         4 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said calculating means is further responsive to at least one criteria associated with said individual. 
     
     
         5 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said criteria comprises previously measured blood glucose levels for said individual. 
     
     
         6 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said criteria comprises previously administered insulin delivery dosages for said individual. 
     
     
         7 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said criteria comprises information regarding food previously consumed by said individual. 
     
     
         8 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said individual is a patient in a hospital. 
     
     
         9 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said individual is a resident of a nursing home facility. 
     
     
         10 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said individual is in an out-patient setting. 
     
     
         11 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The system described in claim  11 , wherein said alert signal is visual. 
     
     
         15 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said timing means signal is auditory. 
     
     
         16 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said timing means signal is visual. 
     
     
         17 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said timing means signal is applied to said measurement means for causing said measurement means to measure a blood glucose level for said individual. 
     
     
         18 . The system described in  claim 1 , wherein said delivery means comprises an insulin pump. 
     
     
         19 . A system for maintaining blood glucose levels in a plurality of individuals comprising:
 setup means for establishing a desired range of blood glucose levels for each one of said individuals of said plurality of individuals;   measuring means for determining a blood glucose level for each one of said individuals;   calculating means responsive to said blood glucose level for each one of said individuals for determining a proper glucose dosage amount for each one of said individuals whose blood glucose level is below said desired range for said individual and for determining a proper insulin dosage amount for each one of said individuals whose blood glucose level is above said desired range for said individual;   delivery means for administering at least one of said proper glucose dosage amount or said proper insulin dosage amount to each one of said individuals;   evaluation means responsive to said blood glucose level of each one of said individuals for determining a time interval for each one of said individuals after which said individual's blood glucose level is to be re-measured; and   timing means for generating a signal when said time interval for each of one of said individuals has elapsed; and   data storage means for maintaining information from at least one of said setup means, said measuring means, said calculating means, said delivery means, said evaluation means, or said timing means for each one of said individuals.   
     
     
         20 . The system described in  claim 19 , wherein said calculating means is further responsive to at least one criteria associated with each one of said individuals. 
     
     
         21 . The system described in  claim 19 , further comprising reporting means coupled to said data storage means for generating time-based reports for each one of said individuals. 
     
     
         22 . The system described in  claim 19 , further comprising reporting means coupled to said data storage means for generating dosage-based reports for said plurality of individuals. 
     
     
         23 . A method for maintaining blood glucose level in an individual comprising the steps of:
 establishing a desired range of blood glucose levels for said individual;   measuring a blood glucose level for said individual;   calculating in response to said blood glucose level a proper glucose dosage amount for said individual when said blood glucose level is below said desired range and for calculating a proper insulin dosage amount for said individual when said blood glucose level is above said desired range;   administering at least one of said glucose dosage amount or said insulin dosage amount to said individual;   determining in response to said blood glucose level a time interval for said individual after which said individual's blood glucose level is to be re-measured; and   generating a signal when said time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         24 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein the performance of said steps of measuring a blood glucose level and administering at least one of said dosage amounts require human intervention. 
     
     
         25 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein each of said steps is performed without human intervention. 
     
     
         26 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein said generated signal causes said blood glucose level of said individual to be re-measured. 
     
     
         27 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein said time interval is determined in response to at least one criteria associated with said individual. 
     
     
         28 . The method described in  claim 27 , wherein said criteria comprises previously measured blood glucose levels for said individual. 
     
     
         29 . The method described in  claim 27 , wherein said criteria comprises previously administered insulin delivery dosages for said individual. 
     
     
         30 . The method described in  claim 27 , wherein said criteria comprises information regarding food previously consumed by said individual. 
     
     
         31 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein each of said individuals is a patient in a hospital. 
     
     
         32 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein each of said individuals is a resident of a nursing home facility. 
     
     
         33 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein each of said individuals is in an out-patient setting. 
     
     
         34 . The method described in  claim 23 , wherein said step of administering said dosage amount is performed by an insulin pump. 
     
     
         35 . A method for maintaining blood glucose level in a plurality of individuals comprising the steps of:
 establishing a desired range of blood glucose levels for each one of said individuals of said plurality of individuals;   measuring a blood glucose level for each one of said individuals;   calculating in response to said blood glucose level for each one of said individuals a proper glucose dosage amount for one each of said individuals whose blood glucose level is below said desired range for said individual and for calculating a proper insulin dosage amount for each one of said individuals whose blood glucose level is above said desired range for said individual;   administering at least one of said proper glucose dosage amount or said proper insulin dosage amount to each one of said individuals;   determining in response to said blood glucose level for each one of said individuals a time interval for each one of said individuals after which said individual's blood glucose level is re-measured;   generating a signal when said time interval for each one of said individuals has elapsed; and   maintaining information derived from at least one of said steps of establishing, measuring, calculating, administering, determining, or generating.