Methods, systems, and devices for detecting apnea events
AssigneePacesetter, Inc.
InventorsJong Gill, Prakrit Shrestha, Kyungmoo Ryu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are methods, devices, and systems that use electrogram (EGM) or electrocardiogram (ECG) data for sleep apnea detection. An apparatus and method detect potential apnea events (an apnea or hypopnea event) using a signal indicative of cardiac electrical activity of a patient's heart, such as an EGM or ECG. Described herein are also methods, devices, and systems for classifying a patient as being asleep or awake, which can be used to selectively enable and disable sleep apnea detection monitoring, as well as in other manners.
Claims23
An implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted in a patient, comprising:
- an accelerometer;
- a plurality of electrodes;
- sensing circuitry couplable to the electrodes and configured to sense an electrocardiogram (ECG) or electrogram (EGM) signal indicative of cardiac electrical activity of the patient's heart;
- and
- at least one processor configured to
- identify cardiac cycles within the ECG or EGM signal indicative of cardiac electrical activity of the patient's heart;
- determine a short term measure and a long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal over a period that includes a plurality of the cardiac cycles, the short term measure of the ECG or EGM signal determined based on a first number of the cardiac cycles, and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal determined based on a second number of the cardiac cycles, wherein the second number is at least two-times greater than the first number;
- detect a potential apnea event based at least in part on the short term measure and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal;
- classify the patient as being asleep or awake based on information obtained from the accelerometer;
- enable the determining of the short term measure and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal that are used to detect the potential apnea event, when the patient is classified as being asleep;
- and
- disable the determining of the short term measure and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal that are used to detect the potential apnea event, when the patient is classified as being awake.
A method for use by an implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted in a patient, the method comprising:
- sensing circuitry of the IMD, coupled to electrodes, sensing an electrocardiogram (ECG) or electrogram (EGM) signal indicative of cardiac electrical activity of the patient's heart;
- and
- at least one processor of the IMD
- identifying cardiac cycles within the ECG or EGM signal indicative of cardiac electrical activity of the patient's heart;
- during a first period of time
- classifying the patient as being asleep based on information obtained from an accelerometer of the IMD;
- in response to the patient being classified as being asleep enabling determining a short term measure and a long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal over a period that includes a plurality of the cardiac cycles, the short term measure of the ECG or EGM signal determined based on a first number of the cardiac cycles, and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal determined based on a second number of the cardiac cycles, wherein the second number is at least two-times greater than the first number;
- and
- detecting a potential apnea event based at least in part on the short term measure and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal;
- and
- during a second period of time
- classifying the patient as being awake based on further information obtained from the accelerometer of the IMD, and
- in response to the patient being classified as being awake disabling the determining of the short term measure and the long term measure of the ECG or EGM signal that are used to detect the potential apnea event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.