Integrated Resuscitation

Abstract

A resuscitation system for use by a rescuer for resuscitating a patient, comprising at least two high-voltage defibrillation electrodes, a first electrical unit comprising circuitry for providing resuscitation prompts to the rescuer, a second electrical unit separate from the first unit and comprising circuitry for providing defibrillation pulses to the electrodes, and circuitry for providing at least one electrical connection between the first and second units. In another aspect, at least two electrical therapy electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient for extended periods of time, circuitry for monitoring the ECG of the patient, an activity sensor adapted to be worn by the patient and capable of providing an output from which the patient's current activity can be estimated, and at least one processor configured for estimating the patient's current activity by analyzing the output of the activity sensor, analyzing the ECG of the patient, and determining whether electrical therapy should be delivered to the electrodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A resuscitation system for resuscitating a patient, the resuscitation system comprising:
 a resuscitation assembly configured to be worn by the patient, comprising:   at least two defibrillation electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient on a continuous basis for an extended period of time;   a first circuitry configured to monitor an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the patient;   a second circuitry configured to provide defibrillation pulses to the at least two defibrillation electrodes;   at least one chest compression sensor configured to detect at least one chest compression parameter during delivery of chest compressions by a rescuer; and   at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising:   analyzing the ECG of the patient to determine whether electrical therapy should be delivered to the patient via the at least two defibrillation electrodes, and   analyzing the at least one chest compression parameter detected by the at least one chest compression sensor to determine at least one of a chest compression rate, a chest compression depth, and a chest compression force of the chest compressions; and   an output device coupled to the resuscitation assembly for providing the rescuer with one or more prompts associated with at least one of the chest compression rate, the chest compression depth, and the chest compression force.   
     
     
         23 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine an amount of force being applied to the patient during the chest compressions. 
     
     
         24 . The resuscitation system of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the amount of force being applied to the patient during the chest compressions is within a recommended chest compression range. 
     
     
         25 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprise one or more prompts relating to the patient's breathing. 
     
     
         26 . The resuscitation system of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more prompts comprise one or more prompts relating to providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the patient. 
     
     
         27 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises providing at least one of audible instructions and visual instructions to check a patient's airway. 
     
     
         28 . The resuscitation system of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises providing at least one of audible instructions and visual instructions to clear the patient's airway. 
     
     
         29 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises providing at least one of audible instructions and visual instructions to check a patient's pulse. 
     
     
         30 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises providing at least one of audible instructions and visual instructions to move the patient so that the patient is lying on the patient's back prior to beginning CPR. 
     
     
         31 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises coaching as to the chest compression rate at which chest compressions are being performed on the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises an indication that CPR should be halted because it is being performed at an inappropriate time. 
     
     
         33 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises an indication that CPR should be halted immediately prior to application of a defibrillation shock such that rescuer's hands are not touching the patient. 
     
     
         34 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises feedback to the rescuer regarding an amount of force being applied on the patient's chest during CPR. 
     
     
         35 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprises feedback to the rescuer indicating that the rescuer is applying insufficient force. 
     
     
         36 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to measure how deeply the rescuer is compressing the patient's chest. 
     
     
         37 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect that the rescuer is compressing the patient's chest to a depth within a range of about an inch and a half to about two inches. 
     
     
         38 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the ECG of the patient to determine whether electrical therapy should be delivered to the patient or whether a rescuer should provide a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) therapy to the patient. 
     
     
         39 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more prompts comprise at least one of spoken and visual prompts. 
     
     
         40 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , further comprising one or more buttons for receiving input from the rescuer. 
     
     
         41 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the output device to prompt the rescuer to apply additional compression or force in response to determining that the rescuer is not applying an appropriate amount of force. 
     
     
         42 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the output device to prompt the rescuer to cease CPR if the rescuer is performing CPR at an inappropriate point in time. 
     
     
         43 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , further comprises an activity sensor adapted to be worn by the patient. 
     
     
         44 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , wherein the activity sensor is configured to provide an output from which the patient's current activity can be estimated. 
     
     
         45 . The resuscitation system of  claim 22 , further comprises at least one processor configured for estimating the patient's current activity by analyzing the output of the activity sensor. 
     
     
         46 . A resuscitation assembly for resuscitating a patient, the resuscitation assembly comprising:
 at least two defibrillation electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient on a continuous basis for an extended period of time;   a first circuitry for monitoring an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the patient;   a second circuitry for providing defibrillation pulses to the at least two defibrillation electrodes;   an extension piece configured for placement directly over a location on the patient's body where a rescuer delivers chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the extension piece comprising at least one chest compression sensor configured to detect at least one chest compression parameter during the delivery of chest compressions by the rescuer; and
 at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising:
 analyzing the ECG of the patient to determine whether electrical therapy should be delivered to the patient via the at least two defibrillation electrodes, and 
 analyzing the at least one chest compression parameter detected by the at least one chest compression sensor to determine at least one of a chest compression rate, a chest compression depth, and a chest compression force of the chest compressions; 
 
   and   an output device coupled to the resuscitation assembly for providing the rescuer with one or more prompts associated with at least one of the chest compression rate, the chest compression depth, and the chest compression force.   
     
     
         47 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the extension piece comprises a substrate and a semi-rigid supporting member. 
     
     
         48 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the extension piece comprises a force-sensing element. 
     
     
         49 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 48 , wherein the force-sensing element comprises at least two layers of material and has a variable electrical contact between the layers. 
     
     
         50 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the extension piece comprises a compression-sensing element. 
     
     
         51 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 50 , wherein the compression-sensing element comprises an accelerometer positioned at the location where the rescuer is to perform chest compressions. 
     
     
         52 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a timing of the chest compressions. 
     
     
         53 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the processor is configured to provide coaching as to a rate at which the CPR is performed. 
     
     
         54 . The resuscitation assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the output device to inform the rescuer not to touch the patient immediately prior to delivery of the defibrillation pulses. 
     
     
         55 . A resuscitation system for resuscitating a patient, the resuscitation system comprising:
 a resuscitation assembly configured to be worn by a patient, the resuscitation assembly comprising:
 at least two defibrillation electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient on a continuous basis for an extended period of time, 
 a first circuitry for monitoring an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the patient, 
 a second circuitry for providing defibrillation pulses to the patient via the at least two defibrillation electrodes, 
 at least one chest compression sensor configured to detect chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) being performed on the patient, and 
 an output device for providing a rescuer with one or more audible or visual prompts; and 
   at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising:
 analyzing the ECG of the patient to determine whether an electrical therapy should be delivered to the patient via the at least two defibrillation electrodes or whether CPR should be performed on the patient, 
 causing the second circuitry to provide the defibrillation pulses to apply at least one defibrillation shock to the patient based on determining that the electrical therapy should be delivered to the patient, and 
 causing the output device to provide the rescuer with the one or more audible or visual prompts to the rescuer to begin performing CPR on the patient. 
   
     
     
         56 . The resuscitation system of  claim 55 , wherein the first circuitry comprises a substrate and a semi-rigid supporting member. 
     
     
         57 . The resuscitation system of  claim 55 , wherein the first circuitry comprises a force-sensing element. 
     
     
         58 . The resuscitation system of  claim 57 , wherein the force-sensing element comprises at least two layers of material and has a variable electrical contact between the at least two layers. 
     
     
         59 . The resuscitation system of  claim 55 , wherein the first circuitry comprises a compression-sensing element. 
     
     
         60 . The resuscitation system of  claim 59 , wherein the compression-sensing element comprises an accelerometer positioned at a location where the rescuer is to perform chest compressions. 
     
     
         61 . The resuscitation system of  claim 55 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a timing of chest compressions based on determining that CPR should be performed on the patient. 
     
     
         62 . The resuscitation system of  claim 61 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to provide coaching as to a rate at which CPR should be performed. 
     
     
         63 . The resuscitation system of  claim 62 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the output device to inform the rescuer not to touch the patient immediately prior to delivery of the defibrillation shock.