Medication management system

Abstract

To provide a system capable of surely confirming whether a patient has actually taken medicine prescribed by a doctor.SOLUTION: A medication management system 1 for determining whether or not medicine is being taken has: a communication device 2 incorporating an ultrasonic sensor that acquires acoustic impedance information; and a detection device 3 that receives the acoustic impedance information from the communication device. A drug 4 is medicine wrapped in gold foil. The ultrasonic sensor acquires the acoustic impedance information on the drug in a body after the drug is taken, and transmits the acquired acoustic impedance information to the detection device. The detection device detects the presence or absence of the gold foil of the drug in the body after the drug is taken based on the acoustic impedance information, and when the gold foil is detected, it is determined that the drug has been taken.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a medication management system for reliably verifying whether prescribed medications are actually being taken. [Background technology]

[0002] In today's rapidly aging society, health problems caused by incorrect drug interactions and the strain on healthcare finances due to over-prescription are becoming serious social issues. As countermeasures, attempts are being made to prevent missed doses by using medicine boxes equipped with IC tags and to improve the accuracy of medication management by making remaining medication visible. Medication management systems using mobile information terminals, which are becoming increasingly widespread, are also being proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which medications to be taken are stored in multiple pockets, and sensors detect the presence or absence of medication in each pocket to determine whether the medication has been taken.

[0003] However, the systems described above only manage the act of taking the medication, which is a preliminary step, rather than the actual taking of the medication. They do not provide confirmation of whether the medication was actually taken, and for example, if the taken-out medication is thrown away or lost, it cannot be confirmed.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses an event marker that can be taken orally in the form of a tablet or the like. For example, when a tablet that has entered the stomach comes into contact with gastric juice, a signal is emitted from an identifier (interpreted as a sensor) of the event marker, which is picked up by a detector attached to the patient's abdomen, and the signal is transmitted from the detector via Bluetooth® to be checked on a smartphone. This is a so-called digital medicine.

[0005] Such digital medicines are considered beneficial because they can determine whether a patient has taken the medicine but it hasn't worked, or whether they haven't taken it at all. However, developing and operating such digital medicines with embedded sensors, as well as the systems that utilize them, requires significant costs and effort. Furthermore, the sensors themselves must not exhibit toxicity within the body, and there are concerns if the sensors are not ultimately collected as waste.

[0006] Especially with medications taken several times a day, there's a significant risk of anxiety if the sensor devices aren't meticulously tracked for elimination through excretion, potentially leading to their accumulation in the body. There's also the stress of patients having to constantly wear the detector. Furthermore, the system itself might be difficult to operate in hospitals where wireless communication is restricted. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-12469 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5524626 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a system that can reliably confirm whether or not a patient has actually taken the medication prescribed by a doctor, and in particular to provide a medication management system that can confirm medication adherence without causing anxiety or stress to the patient, without using radio waves which may be restricted in use in medical facilities such as hospitals, and without requiring large-scale, special equipment dedicated to the system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides medication A medication management system that determines whether or not medication has been taken, A communication device incorporating an ultrasonic sensor that acquires acoustic impedance information, The device includes a detection device that receives the acoustic impedance information from the communication device, The aforementioned drug is a medicine wrapped in gold leaf. The ultrasonic sensor acquires information on the acoustic impedance of the drug in the body after administration. The acquired acoustic impedance information is transmitted to the detection device. The detection device detects the presence or absence of gold foil in the drug in the body after administration, based on the acoustic impedance information. This medication management system is characterized by determining that medication has been taken when the aforementioned gold leaf is detected.

[0010] In the above medication management system, The aforementioned drug may be further wrapped in an edible film.

[0011] In the above medication management system, The aforementioned wafer may contain geraniol.

[0012] In the above medication management system, The aforementioned drug may be in the form of a capsule on which gold leaf is printed, coated, or attached, containing the drug. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a medication management system can be obtained that is safe, does not require the use of conventional capsule drugs or capsule endoscopes or other circuits that heavily utilize metal, eliminates concerns about excretion, and uses ultrasound to confirm medication adherence, thus enabling safe use even within hospitals without the need for wireless communication. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1]It is a schematic diagram of an aspect of detecting a drug in the medication management system of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing process of the drug used in the medication management system of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram of another manufacturing process of the drug used in the medication management system of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram of an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the drug used in the medication management system of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Also, in the embodiments shown below, technically preferable limitations are made to carry out the invention, but this limitation is not an essential requirement of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aspect of detecting a drug taken in the medication management system of the present invention. The medication management system 1 includes a communication device 2 incorporating an ultrasonic sensor having a function of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and a detection device 3. The detection device 3 is, for example, a personal computer (PC) 3. The medication management system 1 transmits ultrasonic waves 21 toward the drug 4 that has been taken and is in the stomach, and receives the reflected wave 22 with the ultrasonic sensor. The reflected wave 22 contains information on the acoustic impedance of the drug 4, and this information is transmitted to the detection device 3. . In the detection device 3, since the presence or absence of the gold foil can be detected based on the presence or absence of the information on the acoustic impedance caused by the gold foil wrapping the drug 4 from the received information on the acoustic impedance, if the gold foil is detected, it can be determined that the drug 4 has actually been taken.

[0017] Ultrasonic sensors can reliably detect drugs 4 if there is a clear difference in acoustic impedance between the drug being detected and the body's soft tissues. Therefore, in this system, drugs 4 are administered in the form of drugs 4 that have been pre-wrapped in gold foil, as described above, and drugs 4 are detected by utilizing the difference in acoustic impedance between the body's soft tissues and the gold foil.

[0018] To create a form in which drug 4 is wrapped in gold leaf, edible gold leaf can be used to wrap the drug, and it can be formed into a pill shape. Alternatively, to make it easier to handle and swallow, it may be further wrapped in edible film. Or, edible gold leaf may be attached to the edible film beforehand, or a coating containing edible gold leaf may be applied to the edible film to form a sheet in which the edible film and gold leaf are layered, and the drug can be wrapped in this sheet to form a pill. If the drug is in tablet form, for example, it may be crushed into small granules to make it easier to wrap before wrapping, or it may be wrapped as a tablet.

[0019] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of an example of the preparation process for the drug 4 used in the medication management system of the present invention. The drug 5 to be taken is, for example, in the form of a tablet or pill. If it is not a problem to take them at the same time, two or more types or two or more types may be used simultaneously. This prevents patients from taking one type of drug but forgetting to take another, and also eliminates the problem of taking multiple drugs at once. However, whether or not they can be packaged together depends on the drug, so the way they are separated should be chosen as appropriate.

[0020] This medicine 5 is crushed to form fine granules or powder medicine 5P. If medicine 5 is originally in powder or granular form, the crushing step can be omitted. Separately, edible gold leaf 6 and edible film 7 are bonded together to create a laminated sheet 8. Medicine 5P is placed on this laminated sheet 8, and the sheet is rolled up so as to enclose medicine 5P, forming a pill-shaped medicine 4.

[0021] Since drug 4 is usually taken together with water, it can be observed in a state where the stomach is filled with water. The presence of drug 4 in the form wrapped in a metal, that is, gold foil, can be confirmed. The acoustic impedance is 0.00043 (10 , , ,

[0024] ,

[0023] , , , kg / m 2 s) for air, 1.5 (10 6 kg / m 2 s) for water, 1.36 (10 6 kg / m 2 s) for fat, and on average 1.62 (10 6 kg / m 2 s) for soft tissue, while it is 62.5 (10 6 kg / m 2 s) for gold. Since there are significant differences between metal and water or biological tissue, the presence of gold foil can be confirmed with an ultrasonic sensor. By appropriately adjusting the thickness of the oblate, etc., it can be made easier to confirm.

[0022] As the ultrasonic sensor of the communication device 2 used for detecting gold foil, an ultrasonic echo device commonly used in hospitals can be used. The ultrasonic echo device can be either a large stationary type or a simple handy type. If there is a guide for ultrasonic diagnostic images, the inspection can be carried out more easily.

[0023] As the gold foil that can be taken together with drug 5P, gold foil called "Edible Gold Foil No. 4 Food Color" is known. The metal components of this gold foil are composed of 94.438% pure gold and 4.901% pure silver, and it is recognized as a food additive. Since it is a food additive, the display name of the raw material of the gold foil becomes "coloring agent". This edible gold foil is not entirely made of gold or silver, and more than 90% of the edible gold foil is starch, a polysaccharide called "pullulan". This type of gold foil is also called "Kanazawa foil" in the market.

[0024] Furthermore, as a product with a higher gold purity, gold particles are fired in a vacuum and coated on a PET film. Gold produced using a film-forming foil manufacturing method (sputtering) with a purity of 999.9‰ (per mille) is also known, and both are suitable for use. Gold is not absorbed by the body when ingested and is excreted unchanged. Furthermore, gold has extremely stable properties, hardly reacts with other substances, does not dissolve in stomach acid, and does not change at all in saliva, so it is highly safe when ingested.

[0025] In Japan, oblate refers to a thin, translucent film made from starch that dissolves easily in water. It can be used to wrap medicines, sweets, and other items, allowing them to be ingested directly. Oblate is produced by rapidly drying gelatinized starch. Potato starch is used as a raw material. Rapid drying to a moisture content of 10% to 15% prevents the starch from aging and maintains its gelatinized state. Oblate for sweets is 40 μm thick, while oblate for medicine is 20 μm thick. Oblate is mainly starchy, and using a starch with a low melting point makes it easy to reshape into pills.

[0026] Oblates are typically used to take bitter medicines or powders that are difficult to swallow as is. To prevent spillage, unfold the oblate, wrap the medicine inside, and then moisten the end with a small amount of water before closing the opening. Because they tend to stick to the inside of the mouth, they should be taken with a glass of water or lukewarm water. Oblates are commercially available in various shapes, such as round, triangular, and pouch-shaped, and can be selected as appropriate. Flavored products such as strawberry are also acceptable, and medicinal oblates in jelly or paste form can also be used.

[0027] Geraniol is an example of an ingredient used to add flavor to edible film. Geraniol is a type of linear monoterpenoid discovered in geraniums. It is mainly found in rose oil, palmarosa oil, and citronella oil. It is also found in geranium, lemon, and some essential oils. It is a colorless or pale yellow liquid that is insoluble in water but soluble in many organic solvents. It has a rose-like fragrance and is widely used in perfumes. It is also used to create fragrances similar to peach, raspberry, grapefruit, apple, plum, lime, orange, lemon, watermelon, pineapple, and blueberry.

[0028] Examples of geraniol's uses include adding it to foods such as candy and gum, so that consuming them results in a rose scent in the breath or body odor. Strawberry-flavored edible film has already been developed, and it is also possible to create edible film with embedded geraniol. By wrapping medicine in this film and taking it, the scent of geraniol can be detected, confirming that the medicine has been taken.

[0029] In addition to using odor sensors, geraniol can also be detected by smelling the skin of the person taking the medication, as it has been confirmed that geraniol is emitted from body odor. Therefore, it can be detected through bad breath or body odor.

[0030] Furthermore, it is known that geraniol is almost completely released from the skin after 3 hours of ingestion. Even if medication is taken three times a day (morning, noon, and night), the interval between meals is usually not less than 3 hours. Therefore, the scent of geraniol produced by the previous dose will not overlap, making it possible to confirm that the medication has been taken. It is also possible to improve the accuracy of medication detection by using both geraniol and gold leaf.

[0031] While it is possible to use fragrances other than geraniol, it is necessary to select fragrances that are not commonly used in food, as their components may dissipate during the interval between doses of medication, and if they are found in large quantities in food, it may be difficult to distinguish between food and medication. It is also possible to assign two different fragrances to two different medications, but it is necessary to select fragrances that allow the unique scent components of each to be distinguished.

[0032] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of another manufacturing process for a drug used in the medication management system of the present invention. It shows an example in which a tablet-shaped drug 5 is crushed and placed in a capsule to make a capsule drug. An empty capsule 9P is prepared by coating a commercially available drug capsule 9 made of gelatin or the like with edible gold leaf paint, or by attaching edible gold leaf to it. Then, the drug 5 in the shape of a tablet or pill is crushed into fine granules or powder drug 5P, as in the process described above. Next, the drug 5P is placed in the empty capsule 9P to make a capsule drug 4C. After taking the capsule drug 4C, the detection method is the same as described above, and it is determined whether or not the drug has been taken by detecting the edible gold leaf that was coated or attached to the empty capsule 9P. Since the shape is more consistent than when wrapped in an edible film, it can be observed with greater accuracy. In addition, some drugs (such as bitter stomachic drugs and digestive drugs) have their effects weakened when taken wrapped in an edible film, so there is no problem in applying this method in such cases. Depending on the location and timing of drug 5's sustained release within the body, you can appropriately choose between using the aforementioned wafer or using a capsule.

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of a drug manufacturing apparatus used in the medication management system of the present invention. In the manufacturing apparatus 10, the drug 5 is fed from the stacker 11 to the cutter 12, crushed, and the fine granular or powdered drug 5P that has passed through the slit 13 is collected in a funnel 14, placed in a capsule 9A, and sealed in a capsule 9B to form a capsule drug 4C. Multiple tablets 5 may be fed in, and the apparatus can also be structured to allow two or more types of tablets to be fed in.

[0034] In actual medication use, for example, when taking two different medications at short intervals, combining methods such as using a geraniol-containing wafer for the first dose and a gold-leaf-covered wafer for the second dose (or vice versa) can make it easier to detect when each medication has been taken. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 1. Medication management system 2. Communication devices 3. Detection device 4. Drugs 4C... Capsule medicine 5, 5P... Medicine 6...edible gold leaf 7. Wafer paper 8. Laminated sheet 9 capsules 9P... Empty capsule 10...Manufacturing equipment 11. Stacker 12... Cutter 13...Slit 14...funnel

Claims

1. A medication management system for determining whether or not medication has been taken, A communication device incorporating an ultrasonic sensor that acquires acoustic impedance information, The device includes a detection device that receives the acoustic impedance information from the communication device, The aforementioned drug is a medicine wrapped in gold leaf. The ultrasonic sensor acquires information on the acoustic impedance of the drug in the body after administration. The acquired acoustic impedance information is transmitted to the detection device. The detection device detects the presence or absence of gold foil in the drug in the body after administration, based on the acoustic impedance information. A medication management system characterized by determining that medication has been taken when the aforementioned gold leaf is detected.

2. The medication management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned drug is further wrapped in an edible film.

3. The medication management system according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned wafer contains geraniol.

4. The medication management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the drug is enclosed in a capsule on which gold foil is printed, coated, or attached.

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