Heart failure indicator

A system for determining a heart failure indicator indicative of a heart failure disease state in a biological subject, the system including:

• a) at least one signal generator coupled to first electrodes provided in electrical contact with the subject in use, the at least one signal generator being adapted to generate a drive signal;
• b) at least one sensor coupled to second electrodes provided in electrical contact with the subject in use, the at least one sensor being adapted to measure a response signal;
• and,
• c) at least one processing device that:
• i) at least in part controls the at least one signal generator and receives an indication of a measured response signal from the at least one sensor, allowing at least one impedance measurement to be performed;
• ii) determines a fluid level indicator using at least one impedance value obtained by performing the at least one impedance measurement;
• and,
• iii) determines a heart failure indicator using the fluid level indicator.

A method of monitoring heart failure in a biological subject, the method including:

• a) periodically performing at least one impedance measurement across at least a torso of a subject deemed susceptible to heart failure to determine at least one impedance value;
• b) for each measurement, determining a fluid level indicator using the at least one impedance value;
• c) monitoring changes in the fluid level indicator over time;
• and
• d) determining a heart failure indicator using the monitored changes, wherein the fluid level indicator is at least partially indicative of extracellular fluid levels in the body segment, and wherein the body segment includes at least one of a limb of the subject and at least part of a limb of the subject.

A method for treating a heart failure disease state in a biological subject, the method including, in at least one processing device:

• a) determining a fluid level indicator using at least one impedance value obtained by performing at least one impedance measurement across at least a body segment of the subject;
• b) determining a heart failure indicator using the fluid level indicator;
• c) selecting a treatment based upon the heart failure indicator;
• and
• d) causing the treatment to be administered over time to thereby at least partially treat the heart failure disease state of the subject, wherein the fluid level indicator is at least partially indicative of extracellular fluid levels in the body segment, and wherein the body segment includes at least one of a limb of the subject and at least part of a limb of the subject.