Integrated resuscitation

Abstract

A method for treating a patient includes providing a defibrillation and pacing device configured to be worn on a continuous basis by a patient, the defibrillation and pacing device comprising a (i) capacitor and associated circuitry and (ii) an activity sensor. The method includes placing on the patient electrodes configured to detect an ECG of the patient, monitoring the ECG signals and activity of the patient, determining from at least the ECG signal and activity of the patient whether the patient meets an at least one of a bradycardia condition and asystole condition, and, if it is determined that the patient meets the bradycardia condition, providing pacing therapy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a patient comprising:
 providing a defibrillation and pacing device configured to be worn on a continuous basis by a patient, the defibrillation and pacing device comprising a (i) capacitor and associated circuitry and (ii) an activity sensor;   placing on the patient electrodes configured to detect an ECG of the patient;   monitoring the ECG signals and activity of the patient;   determining from at least the ECG signal and activity of the patient whether the patient meets an at least one of a bradycardia condition and asystole condition; and   if it is determined that the patient meets the bradycardia condition, providing pacing therapy.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing at least two electrical therapy electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient for an extended period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the extended period of time comprises at least 30 days. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two electrical therapy electrodes are configured to provide at least one of defibrillation and pacing therapy to the patent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a power source coupled to the capacitor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a processor coupled to the patient electrodes and the power source. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing at least one of a speaker and a display configured to provide prompts. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the prompts comprise at least one of spoken and visual prompts. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a prompt based on an estimated current activity of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a prompt based on the ECG signals and other physiological parameters. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the prompt is an audible alarm sounded to the patient for indicating the detection of a physiological condition requiring treatment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the patient is moving based on the monitored activity of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . A long term wearable cardiac monitoring system for monitoring a cardiac condition of a patient, comprising:
 a power source;   one or more electrodes electrically attached to an ECG monitoring unit, the one or more electrodes configured to be held against the skin of the patient for an extended period of time;   circuitry for receiving an ECG signal of the patient via the one or more electrodes;   an energy delivery unit coupled to the power source configured to provide pacing therapy to the patient; and   at least one processor operatively coupled to the circuitry for receiving the ECG signal of the patient and the energy delivery unit configured to provide pacing, the at least one processor configured to:
 monitor the received ECG signal of the patient, 
 detect at least one of a bradycardia condition and an asystole condition in the patient for which pacing is indicated, and 
 provide a pacing therapy to the patient via the energy delivery unit upon detecting the at least one of the bradycardia condition and the asystole condition in the patient. 
   
     
     
         14 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 13 , wherein the extended period of time comprises at least 30 days. 
     
     
         15 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 13 , further comprising an activity sensor, wherein the at least one processor receives information from the activity sensor on whether or not the patient is moving. 
     
     
         16 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 13 , further comprising a display configured to provide a visual prompt. 
     
     
         17 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 13 , further comprising a speaker configured to provide an audible prompt. 
     
     
         18 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 17 , further comprising an activity sensor, wherein the prompt is based on an estimated current activity of the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 17 , wherein the prompt is provided based on the monitored ECG signal and other physiological parameters. 
     
     
         20 . The long term wearable cardiac monitoring system of  claim 17 , wherein the prompt is sounded to the patient for indicating the detection of a physiological condition requiring treatment.