Medical device configured to test for user responsiveness

Abstract

A medical device is disclosed that includes one or more treatment electrodes, one or more sensors, and one or more controllers connected to the one or more treatment electrodes and one or more sensors. The medical device also includes one or more response mechanisms connected to the one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are configured to receive input from the one or more response mechanism and are also configured to determine whether a patient wearing the medical device actuated the one or more response mechanisms based, at least in part, on the input received from the one or more response mechanisms. In some disclosed embodiments, the medical device is a wearable defibrillator.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A wearable defibrillator for communicating with patients and non-patients, comprising:
 a sensing electrode configured to sense an electrocardiogram signal of a patient wearing the wearable defibrillator;   a treatment electrode configured to provide a therapeutic shock to the patient wearing the wearable defibrillator;   a response mechanism configured to be actuated by the patient or a non-patient;   a notification circuit; and   a controller that is operatively connected to the sensing electrode, the treatment electrode, the response mechanism, and the notification circuit, the controller being configured to
 make a determination that the non-patient actuated the response mechanism; and 
 in response to making the determination,
 provide instructions to the non-patient, via the notification circuit, to refrain from actuating the response mechanism; and/or 
 provide instructions to the non-patient, via the notification circuit, to move away from the patient because the therapeutic shock will be delivered to the patient. 
 
   
     
     
         28 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein
 the response mechanism is further configured to receive a signal from a body of the patient and/or the non-patient during actuation of the response mechanism; and   the controller is configured to make the determination that the non-patient actuated the response mechanism based at least in part on the signal received from the body of the patient and/or the non-patient.   
     
     
         29 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is further configured to
 receive input from the response mechanism in response to actuation of the response mechanism; and   make the determination based at least in part on the input received as a result of actuation of the response mechanism.   
     
     
         30 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is further configured to
 make an alternative determination that the patient actuated the response mechanism; and   in response to making the alternative determination, prevent the therapeutic shock from being delivered to the patient.   
     
     
         31 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein
 the response mechanism is further configured to, in response to being actuated, transmit a marker signal into a body of a person actuating the response mechanism;   the sensing electrode is further configured to detect whether the marker signal is present in a body of the patient; and   the controller is configured to make the determination at least in part in response to the sensing electrode detecting that the marker signal is not present in the body of the patient.   
     
     
         32 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 31 , wherein the controller is wirelessly connected to the response mechanism. 
     
     
         33 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 31 , wherein the notification circuit includes a display that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are presented on the display. 
     
     
         34 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 31 , wherein the notification circuit includes a speaker that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are audibly presented using the speaker. 
     
     
         35 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 31 , wherein the marker signal includes encoded information unique to either the patient or the wearable defibrillator. 
     
     
         36 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 31 , wherein
 the response mechanism comprises a transducer; and   the wearable defibrillator further comprises a signal generator that is coupled to the transducer and that is configured to generate the marker signal.   
     
     
         37 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein
 the response mechanism comprises a detector configured to determine a capacitance value of a person actuating the response mechanism; and   the controller is further configured to make the determination based at least in part on the determined capacitance value.   
     
     
         38 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is wirelessly connected to the response mechanism. 
     
     
         39 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 37 , wherein the notification circuit includes a display that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are presented on the display. 
     
     
         40 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 37 , wherein the notification circuit includes a speaker that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are audibly presented using the speaker. 
     
     
         41 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to
 compare the determined capacitance value to a range of capacitance values of the patient; and   make the determination in response to determining that the determined capacitance value is outside the range of capacitance values.   
     
     
         42 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein
 the response mechanism includes a detector configured to receive an electrocardiogram signal of a person actuating the response mechanism; and   the controller is configured to make the determination based at least in part on a comparison of the electrocardiogram signal of the patient with the electrocardiogram signal of the person actuating the response mechanism.   
     
     
         43 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 42 , wherein the controller is wirelessly connected to the response mechanism. 
     
     
         44 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 42 , wherein the notification circuit includes a display that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are presented on the display. 
     
     
         45 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 42 , wherein the notification circuit includes a speaker that is operatively connected to the controller, wherein at least some of the instructions are audibly presented using the speaker. 
     
     
         46 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 42 , wherein the comparison uses at least one of morphology comparisons, rate comparisons, and R-wave synchronizations. 
     
     
         47 . The wearable defibrillator of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide instructions to the patient, via the notification circuit, to actuate the response mechanism to prevent the therapeutic shock from being provided to the patient.