Wearable cardioverter defibrillator components discarding ECG signals prior to making shock/no shock determination

Abstract

Components of wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD) systems, software, and methods are provided. A WCD system includes a support structure that a patient can wear and electrodes that can capture at least two of the patient's ECG signals. A component includes an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit, and a processor that can make a shock / no shock determination, and cause the discharge circuit to discharge the stored charge, if the determination is to shock. In some embodiments, the processor discards at least one of the ECG signals prior to making the shock / no shock determination. The determination can be made from the remaining one or more ECG signals. In some embodiments, the processor makes an aggregate shock / no shock determination from two or more of the ECG signals.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 992,841, filed on May 13, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND[0002]When people suffer from some types of heart arrhythmias, the result may be that blood flow to various parts of the body is reduced. Some arrhythmias may even result in a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). SCA can lead to death very quickly, e.g. within 10 minutes, unless treated in the interim.[0003]Some people have an increased risk of SCA. People at a higher risk include individuals who have had a heart attack, or a prior SCA episode. These people receive the recommendation to receive an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (“ICD”). The ICD is surgically implanted in the chest, and continuously monitors the person's electrocardiogram (“ECG”). If certain types of heart arrhythmias are detected, then the ICD delivers an e...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides components of a wearable cardiac defibrillator system that can help overcome problems and limitations of the prior art. The system includes a support structure and electrodes that can capture the patient's ECG signals. The system also includes an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit, and a processor that can make a shock / no shock determination and cause the discharge circuit to discharge the stored charge, if needed. The processor can also discard one or more of the ECG signals prior to making the shock / no shock determination. The advantage of this invention is that the shock / no shock determination can be made with better information, thereby increasing the accuracy of the decision.

Problems solved by technology

SCA can lead to death very quickly, e.g. within 10 minutes, unless treated in the interim.

Some people have an increased risk of SCA.

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