Remote follow-up automaticity with intelligent data download restrictions

Abstract

An implanted device is equipped with a flag that indicates to a remote monitoring unit that an event such as a patient medical emergency or device failure has occurred. The remote monitoring unit is configured in some embodiments to maintain a low power communication link with the implanted device when they are within range. When the flag indicates an event has occurred, the remote monitoring unit quickly downloads sensed data collected by the implanted device and transfers it over a network so that it can be utilized by a medical practitioner. The remote monitoring unit is further configured in some embodiments to query the implanted device at regular intervals. The remote monitoring unit may read a subset of the data stored by the implanted device and, based on that data, determine whether to complete a full or partial download.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling the download of information sensed by an implantable cardiac device, comprising the steps of:
 sensing cardiac activity;   monitoring the performance of the implantable cardiac device;   determining whether an event has occurred based on collected data corresponding to the sensed cardiac activity and to the performance of the implantable cardiac device;   storing the collected data indicative of the event when the event has occurred;   determining whether the event corresponds to a dangerous condition when the event has occurred;   setting an indicator that induces an immediate data download to an external monitoring device when it is determined that the event corresponds to a dangerous condition; and   resetting the indicator after the data download.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the event has occurred comprises analyzing the collected data based on a plurality of pre-selected criteria. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the event corresponds to a dangerous condition comprises analyzing the collected data based on a plurality of pre-selected criteria. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a data flag that has a first set condition indicating that the event corresponding to a dangerous condition has occurred and a second reset condition indicating that the data download has occurred after the last event corresponding to a dangerous condition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data download corresponds only to data related to the event corresponding to a dangerous condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event comprises at least one of: an equipment malfunction, a low battery charge reading, and a dangerous medical condition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event comprises at least one sensed medical condition selected from the group of ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter.