Systems, methods and devices for maintenance, guidance and/or control

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices and computer program products for providing maintenance, guidance and/or control of certain systems are disclosed. Typically, in some aspects the systems are complex. Also disclosed are methods, systems, devices and computer program products for providing therapeutic guidance for controlling a subject's circulation. One such method comprises the steps of: (i) determining the subject's present and desired circulatory states as a function of at least mean systemic filling pressure (P ms ), heart efficiency (E H ) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR); (ii) determining a target direction of a trajectory from the subject's present circulatory state to said subject's desired circulatory state, wherein treatment of the subject so as to traverse the trajectory will cause the subject's circulatory state to move towards a desired circulatory state; and (iii) visually representing the target direction of the trajectory.

1 . A computer-assisted method for assessing a subject's circulation state, said method comprising at least one of the following steps:
 (i) determining said subject's present circulatory state using parameters sufficient to characterize the present circulatory state; and   (ii) determining said subject's desired circulatory state using parameters sufficient to characterize the desired circulatory state.   
     
     
         2 . The computer assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is used for providing a treatment guidance for said subject. 
     
     
         3 . The computer assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is used to measure said subject's circulation state. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 2 , wherein a target direction is determined of a trajectory from said subject's present circulatory state to said subject's desired circulatory state. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 4 , wherein the treatment guidance, the target direction and the trajectory are used to assisted in moving said subject's circulatory state along towards a desired circulatory state. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 5 , wherein the treatment guidance, the target direction and the trajectory are used to assisted in providing treatment sequencing guidance in order to move said subject's circulatory state along towards a desired circulatory state. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject's present state and/or said subject's desired state are visually represented. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject's present circulatory state is determined as a function of at least mean systemic filling pressure (P MS ), heart efficiency (E H ) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). 
     
     
         9 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein said subjects present circulatory state and/or desired circulatory is continually determined. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein the method provides substantially continuous and/or intermittent guidance of said subjects circulatory state and/or control of hemodynamic and oxygen management of said subject's circulatory system. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is used to provide substantially continuous and/or intermittent guidance of at least one of the following: fluid therapies for control of volume state, heart performance therapy, heart rate therapies, heart rhythm therapies and/or vasoactive therapies. 
     
     
         12 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A computer-assisted method for assessing a subject's volume responsiveness state, said method comprising at least one of the following steps:
 (i) determining said subject's present volume responsiveness state as a function of at least mean systemic filling pressure (P ms ) and heart efficiency (E H ); and   (ii) determining said subject's desired volume responsive state as a function of at least mean systemic filling pressure (P ms ) and heart efficiency (E H ).   
     
     
         33 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 32 , wherein a treatment guidance, a target direction and a trajectory are used to assisted in providing treatment sequencing guidance in order to move said subject's volume responsiveness state along towards a desired volume responsiveness state. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 32  wherein said subject's present state and/or said subject's desired state are visually represented. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 32 , wherein said subjects present volume responsive state is continually determined. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 32 , wherein the method provides substantially continuous and/or intermittent guidance of said subjects volume responsive state. 
     
     
         37 . A computer-assisted method for assessing at least one of a subject's power volume responsiveness and cardiac output volume responsiveness, said method comprising:
 (i) determining at least one of said subject's present power volume responsiveness and present cardiac output volume responsiveness using parameters sufficient to characterize at least one of said subject's power volume responsiveness and cardiac output volume responsiveness; and   (ii) determining at least one of said subject's desired power volume responsiveness and desired cardiac output volume responsiveness using parameters sufficient to characterize at least one of said subject's power volume responsiveness and cardiac output volume responsiveness;   wherein heart efficiency (E H ) is substantially constant.   
     
     
         38 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 37 , wherein a treatment guidance, a target direction and a trajectory are used to assisted in moving at least one of said subject's present power volume responsiveness state and present cardiac output volume responsiveness state along towards at least one of a desired power volume responsiveness state and a desired cardiac output volume responsiveness state. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 37 , wherein said subject's present state and/or said subject's desired state are visually represented. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said subjects present power volume responsiveness state and present cardiac output volume responsiveness state and/or at least one of said subjects desired power volume responsiveness state and desired cardiac output volume responsiveness state is continually determined. 
     
     
         41 . The computer-assisted method of  claim 37 , wherein the method provides substantially continuous and/or intermittent guidance of at least one of said subjects power volume responsiveness state and present cardiac output volume responsiveness state.