System and method for monitoring health using exhaled breath

Abstract

The present invention includes systems and methods for monitoring endogenous compound concentration in blood by detecting markers, such as odors, upon exhalation by a patient, wherein such markers are the endogenous compound itself or result from the endogenous compound. In the case of olfactory markers, the invention preferably utilizes electronic sensor technology, such as the commercial devices referred to as “artificial” or “electronic” noses or tongues, to non-invasively monitor endogenous compound levels in blood. The invention further includes a reporting system capable of tracking endogenous compound concentrations in blood (remote or proximate locations) and providing the necessary alerts with regard to emergent or harmful conditions in a patient.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending International Application No. PCT / US2005 / 006355, filed Feb. 28, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 788,501, filed Feb. 26, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 178,877, filed Jun. 24, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 054,619, filed Jan. 22, 2002. All of the afore-mentioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, including any figures, tables, or drawings.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to non-invasive monitoring of substance / compound concentrations in blood; and more particularly, to a system and method for the determination of drug concentrations and endogenous compounds in blood utilizing a breath detection system. BACKGROUND INFORMATION [0003] Breath is a unique...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0062] A resulting advantage of the subject invention is the ability to monitor such substance and/or therapeutic drug concentration in a more cost effective and frequent manner than current methods, which involve drawing blood samples and transferring the blood samples to a laboratory facility for analysis. In addition, the subject invention enables the user to immediately and conti

Problems solved by technology

It is less likely to be associated with the transfer of serious infections than other bodily fluids and collection of samples is straightforward and painless.

Medications are ineffective if blood concentration levels are too low.

Moreover, certain medications are toxic to the body when concentration levels in the blood are too high.

Although highly effective for the treatment of depression, TCAs have a high incidence of side effects, some of which maybe life-threatening, especially when blood concentrations are too high.

In addition to the toxic effects of TCAs due to inhibition of sodium and potassium channels, which occurs primarily in the heart and brain, TCAs can also cause side effects due inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake and elevated norepinephrine levels.

The latter can cause sedation, manic episodes, profuse sweating, palpitations, increased blood pressure, tachycardia, twitches and tremors of the tongue or upper extremities, and weight gain.

Although SSRIs are no more, or may actually be slightly less effective than TCAs, TCAs are less attractive because they are more toxic than SSRIs and pose a greater threat of overdose.

The greater danger with TCA is that side effects, as well as constant blood sampling, will persuade the patient to discontinue treatment.

Interestingly, recent studies have shown that some SSRIs (and a similar group of drugs—selective norepinephrine uptake inhibitors [SNRIs]) have a “cut-off” below which the drugs are far less effective than at doses above the “cut-off”, but that this can only be determined by blood concentrations, not dosage due to large inter-patient variability.

Thus, many therapeutically effective medications that require TDM are less likely to be prescribed by physicians in view of inconvenience in constant blood sampling and lack of patient compliance.

Further, in the present era of cost-effective healthcare, considerations of prescription costs have become the primary issue for all aspects of laboratory operation.

Currently available tests for TDM are invasive, difficult to administer, frequently require the patient to be in a health care setting (versus home), and/or require an extended period of time for analysis.

Such tests are generally complex, requiring a laboratory to perform the analysis.

Healthcare providers' offices rarely possess appropriate testing technology to analyze blood samples and must therefore send the samples to an off-site laboratory or refer the patient to the laboratory to have their blood drawn, which results in an extended time period for analysis.

In the process of transfer to and from a laboratory, there is a greater likelihood that samples will be lost or mishandled, or that the incorrect results are provided to the healthcare provider, which could be detrimental to the patient's health and well-being.

Further, those on-site test devices that are presently available for assessing drug concentration levels in blood are expensive.

Reference laboratories using sophisticated techniques such as gas chromatog

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