Rapid response system for the detection and treatment of cardiac events

In combination, an implanted medical device and external equipment, the combination being a cardiosaver system designed for the rapid treatment of a heart attack of a human patient, the system including:

• an implanted medical device that includes an implanted electronics module and at least one sensor that is electrically coupled to the sensor, the medical device being designed for detecting the occurrence of the heart attack of the human patient;
• an alarm that produces an alarm signal for indicating to the human patient that a heart attack is occurring when the sensor to which the alarm is electrically coupled detects the occurrence of a heart attack;
• a pass-through drug port implanted within the human patient, the drug port being designed to cooperate with an externally located drug delivery device for injecting medication into the bloodstream of the human patient at a time after the alarm indicates to the human patient that a heart attack is occurring;
• and
• external equipment having the capability to send wireless signals to and receive wireless signals from the implanted electronics module.

In combination an implanted medical device and external equipment, the combination being a cardiosaver system, the cardiosaver system being designed to provide rapid treatment of a cardiac event of a human patient, the cardiosaver system including:

• an implanted cardiosaver device which includes a sensor and electronics module for detecting the occurrence of a cardiac event and an alarm for informing the human patient that a cardiac event is occurring, the implanted cardiosaver device being designed to include wireless communication means capable of transmitting an input alarm signal from the implanted cardiosaver device to an alarm transceiver that is located outside of the body of the human patient;
• an external alarm system including the alarm transceiver and an audio alarm speaker, the alarm transceiver being designed to receive the input alarm signal from the implanted cardiosaver device and transmit an output alarm signal and a data signal to a remote location indicating that a cardiac event has occurred;
• and
• a network operation support system for receiving the output alarm signal and the data signal from the alarm transceiver of the external alarm system and, upon receipt of the output alarm signal, indicate to a medical practitioner that an alarm has occurred indicating that the human patient has had a cardiac event.

An implanted medical device to be used for the rapid treatment of a heart attack of a human patient, the medical device including the following parts:

• at least one electrode placed into the heart of the human patient, the electrode being placed so that it produces an electrical signal that indicates when a heart attack is occurring;
• an alarm system electrically coupled to the electrode, the alarm system being designed to inform the human patient that a heart attack is occurring when the electrical signal from the at least one electrode indicates that a heart attack is occurring;
• and,
• a pass-through drug port implanted within the human patient, the drug port being designed to be used with a hypodermic syringe for injecting medication through the drug port and into the bloodstream of the human patient after the alarm system indicates that a heart attack is occurring.