Advanced adapation of basic cardiac life support

Abstract

A cardiac life support method for adapting a basic cardiac life support device to deliver an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient. The method involves establishing communication between the basic cardiac life support device and an advanced cardiac therapy adapter when the basic cardiac life support device is connected a patient whereby the cardiac life support adapter derives the advanced cardiac therapy from data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device, and the cardiac life support adapter manages a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

Description

[0001] ADVANCED ADAPATION OF BASIC CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to an administration of cardiac arrest therapy to a patient involving basic cardiac life support followed by advanced cardiac life support. The present disclosure particularly related to adapting a basic cardiac life support device (e.g., Automated External Defibrillator) to operate as an advanced cardiac life support device (e.g., Advanced Life Support Defibrillator) during an administration of cardiac arrest therapy to the patient.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a CPR monitor 30 positioned on the sternum of a patient 10 as a lay responder 20 applies chest compressions in a conventional manner using two hands with one placed over the other. Specifically, hands of lay responder 20 are placed on the CPR monitor 30 and chest compressions are administered by the lay responder 20 to a heart of patient 10 as prescribed by conventional CPR protocols. As known in the art of the present disclosure, the CPR monitor 30 monitors a quality of the CPR being administered by a lay responder 20 to a heart of patient 10, such as, for example, whether the CPR is effective or ineffective in terms of a depth and a rate of compression, chest release and recoil, and placement of the responder’s hands on the chest of patient 10. A cable 31 is attached to a basic cardiac life support device in the form of an automated external defibrillator (AED) 40 to couple the monitoring of the CPR quality to defibrillator 40 and to issue audible CPR instructions through a loudspeaker of defibrillator 40.

[0006] FIG. 1 further illustrates AED 40 attached to patient 10 by electrodes 41a and 41b. AED 40, as known in the art of the present disclosure, is operated to deliver defibrillating shock(s) to patient 10 during the CPR as needed. More specifically, when patient 10 is experiencing an arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT)) that is not accompanied by spontaneous circulation, AED 40 is operable to deliver a high-voltage impulse to a heart of patient 10 in order to restore normal rhythm and contractile function in patient 10. In operation, AED 40 automatically analyzes an electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm of the heart of patient 10 to determine if defibrillation is necessary. Full automated defibrillation by AED 40 as known in the art of the present disclosure when defibrillation is necessary involves AED 40 instructing lay responder 20 to terminate the CPR subsequently followed by AED 40 delivering a defibrillation shock to patient 10. Semi-automated defibrillation by AED 40 as known in the art of the present disclosure when defibrillation is necessary involves AED 40 instructing lay responder 20 to terminate the CPR and further instructing lay responder 20 to press a shock button of AED 40 to deliver the defibrillation shock to patient 10.

[0007] As lay responder 20 is administering the basic cardiac life support to patient 10, an advanced responder (not shown) may arrive upon the scene to administer advanced cardiac life support to patient 10 whereby the advanced responder will either (1) continue the basic cardiac life support to patient 10 via AED 40, which is incapable of providing advanced life support for patient 10, or (2) disconnect AED 40 from patient 20 and connect an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Defibrillator to patient 20 to administer advanced cardiac life support to patient 20, which may expend critical time needed for patient 20 to be receiving some form of cardiac life support.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present disclosure is directed to an improvement to cardiac life support for a patient by adapting a basic cardiac life support device (e.g., Automated External Defibrillator) to operate as an advanced cardiac life support device (e.g., Advanced Life Support Defibrillator) during a managed delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to the patient by the basic cardiac life support device.

[0010] The present disclosure may be embodied as (1) a cardiac life support system, (2) an cardiac life support adapter and (3) a cardiac life support method.

[0011] Various exemplary embodiments of a cardiac life support system of the present disclosure encompass a basic cardiac life support device and a cardiac life support adapter. When connected to a patient, the basic cardiac life support device is configured to monitor a cardiac status of the patient and to manage a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to the patient derived from the cardiac status of the patient. When the cardiac life support adapter is in communication with the basic cardiac life support being connected to the patient, the cardiac life support adapter is configured to (1) receive data representative of the cardiac status of the patient from the basic cardiac life support, (2) derive an advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device, and (3) manage a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

[0012] Various exemplary embodiments of a cardiac life support adapter of the present disclosure encompass a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by one or more processors to (1) receive data representative of the cardiac status of a patient from a basic cardiac life support device connected to the patient, (2) derive an advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device, and (3) manage a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

[0013] Various exemplary embodiments of a cardiac life support method in accordance with the present disclosure encompass (1) establishing communication between the basic cardiac life support device and the cardiac life support adapter when the basic cardiac life support device is connected to the patient, and (2) adapting the basic cardiac life support device as connected to the patient to deliver the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient including (a) the basic cardiac life support device communicating data representative of the cardiac status of the patient to the cardiac life support adapter, (b) the cardiac life support adapter deriving the advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device, and (c) the cardiac life support adapter managing a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

[0014] The foregoing exemplary embodiments and other embodiments of the present disclosure as well as various structures and advantages of the present disclosure will become further apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present disclosure read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present disclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the present disclosure being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The present disclosure will present in detail the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the following figures wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a cardiopulmonary resuscitation being administered by a responder to a heart of the patient as known in the art of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a cardiac life support system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart representative of an exemplary embodiment of a cardiac life support method in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a cardiac life support adapter and a basic cardiac life support device in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment graphical screens of a cardiac life support adapter and a basic cardiac life support device in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a basic cardiac life support controller in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a cardiac life support adapter controller in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 8A illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a managed delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient; and

[0024] FIG. 8B illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a managed delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient.

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The present disclosure is directed to an improvement to cardiac life support for a patient by adapting a basic cardiac life support device (e.g., Automated External Defibrillator) to operate as an advanced cardiac life support device (e.g., Advanced Life Support Defibrillator) during a managed delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to the patient by the basic cardiac life support device.

[0027] For purposes of describing and claiming the present disclosure, the terms “basic cardiac therapy”, “advanced cardiac therapy”, “basic cardiac life support”, “advanced cardiac life support”, “automated defibrillation”, “semi-automated defibrillation”, “manual defibrillation”, “synchronized cardioversion”, “transcutaneous pacing” and “cardiopulmonary resuscitation” as used in the present disclosure broadly encompassed the definitions of these terms as known in the art of the present disclosure.

[0028] To facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure, the following description of FIG. 2 teaches an exemplary embodiment of a cardiac life support system in accordance with the present disclosure and the following description of FIG. 3 teaches an exemplary embodiment of a cardiac life support method in accordance with the present disclosure. From the description of FIGS. 2 and 3, those having ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure will appreciate how to apply the present disclosure to make and use additional embodiments of cardiac life support systems and cardiac life support methods in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, the exemplary cardiac life support system of the present disclosure employs a basic cardiac life support device 50 and a cardiac life support adapter 60.

[0030] For purposes of describing and claiming the present disclosure, the term “basic cardiac life support device” broadly encompasses all devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived, for managing a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to a patient in critical cardiac condition and adaptable to deliver an advanced cardiac therapy to the patient in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. An example of a basic cardiac support device of the present disclosure includes, but are not limited to, an Automated External Defibrillator for managing a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to a patient in critical cardiac condition and adapted to deliver an advanced cardiac therapy to the patient in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Examples of basic cardiac therapy include, but are not limited to automated defibrillation and semi-automated defibrillation.

[0031] Examples of advanced cardiac therapy include, but are not limited to manual defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion and transcutaneous pacing.

[0032] For purposes of describing and claiming the present disclosure, the term “cardiac life support adapter” broadly encompasses all devices for managing a delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient by the basic cardiac life support device in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0033] Still referring to FIG. 2, basic cardiac life support (BCLS) device 50 employs a pair of electrode pads / paddles 51a and 51b, optional ECG leads (not shown), a basic ECG monitor 52 (internal or external), a basic cardiac life support (BCLS) controller 53 and a basic cardiac therapy source 54. Although not shown, BCLS device 50 may further employ optional ECG leads, accessory devices for sensing additional cardiac related conditions of a patient (e.g., blood pressure, SPO2 and ventilation), and a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) coaching device.

[0034] Electrode pads / paddles 51a and 51b are structurally configured as known in the art of the present disclosure to be conductively applied to a patient 11 in an anterior-apex arrangement as shown in FIG. 1 or alternatively in an anterior-posterior arrangement (not shown). Electrode pads / paddles 51a and 51b are operable to conduct a defibrillation shock from basic cardiac therapy source 54 to heart 12 of patient 11 as controlled by BCLS) controller 53 as known in the art of the present disclosure, and conduct electrical activity of heart 12 of patient 11 to basic ECG monitor 52 as known in the art of the present disclosure. Alternatively or concurrently, ECG leads (not shown) as known in the art of the present disclosure may be connected to patient 11 to conduct the electrical activity of heart 12 of patient 11 to basic ECG monitor 52.

[0035] Basic ECG monitor 52 is structurally configured as known in the art to generate an ECG waveform of heart 12 of patient 11 as an indication patient 11 is experiencing an organized heartbeat condition or an unorganized heartbeat condition. An example of ECG waveform indicating an organized heartbeat condition is an ECG waveform that is representative of an organized contraction of the ventricles of heart 12 being capable of pumping blood. An example of ECG waveform indicating patient 11 is experiencing an unorganized heartbeat condition is a random ECG waveform having zero (0) discernible waves representative of organized heartbeat activity of heart 12 of patient 11.

[0036] In one exemplary embodiment, basic ECG monitor 52 employs a digital signal processor for streaming ECG waveform data to BCLS controller 53.

[0037] Basic cardiac therapy source 54 is structurally configured as known in the art of the present disclosure to deliver a basis cardiac therapy (e.g., automated defibrillation or semiautomated defibrillation via electrode pads / paddles 51a and 51b to heart 12 of patient 11 as controlled by BCLS controller 53.

[0038] In one exemplary embodiment, basic cardiac therapy source 54 employs a high voltage capacitor bank (not shown) for storing a high voltage via a high voltage charger and a power supply upon a pressing of a charge button. Basic cardiac therapy source 54 further employs a switching / isolation circuit (not shown) for selectively applying a specific waveform of an electric energy charge from the high voltage capacitor bank to electrode pads / paddles 51a and 51b as controlled by BCLS controller 53. In practice, the defibrillation shock may have any waveform as known in the art of the present disclosure. Examples of such waveforms include, but are not limited to, a monophasic sinusoidal waveform (positive sine wave) and a biphasic truncated waveform.

[0039] BCLS controller 53 incorporates a basic ECG analyzer (not shown), as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived, for analyzing and interpreting ECG waveform data from basic ECG monitor 52, and further incorporates a basic cardiac therapy manager, as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived, for managing a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy derived from the analysis and interpretation of the ECG waveform data (e.g., an automated defibrillation or a semi-automated defibrillation).

[0040] Still referring to FIG. 2, cardiac life support adapter 60 employs an advanced ECG monitor 61 (internal or external) and an advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) controller 62.

[0041] Advanced ECG monitor 61 is structurally configured, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, to generate an advanced ECG waveform of heart 12 of patient 11 as an indication patient 11 is experiencing an organized heartbeat condition or an unorganized heartbeat condition. ACLS controller 62 incorporates an advanced ECG analyzer (not shown), as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived, for analyzing and interpreting ECG waveform data from advanced ECG monitor 61, and further incorporates an advanced cardiac therapy manager (not shown), as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived, for deriving an advanced cardiac therapy from the analysis and interpretation of the ECG waveform data (e.g., a manual defibrillation, a synchronized cardioversion and a transcutaneous pacing). An unlimiting example of ACLS controller 62 is the ACLS controller of an Advanced Life Support defibrillator as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived.

[0042] In practice, the advanced cardiac therapy manager may be wholly incorporated in ACLS controller 62 or alternatively, distributed between ALCS controller 62 and a processing system accessible by ALC controller 62 via the cloud or any other wireless means as known in the art of the present disclosure and hereinafter conceived.

[0043] In accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, the ACLS controller 62 is further configured to manage delivery of the advanced cardiac therapy to heart 12 of patient 11 from the basic cardiac life support device 50 as will be further described with the following description of EIG. 3.

[0044] Referring to EIG. 3, a flowchart 80 is representative of a cardiac therapy delivery method of the present disclosure and a flowchart 100 is representative of a cardiac therapy adaption method of the present disclosure. In practice, basis cardiac life support device 50 in activation executes flowchart 80 and cardiac life support adapter 60 in activation executes flowchart 100.

[0045] Still referring to FIG. 3, once activated and when connected to a patient (e.g., patient 11 of FIG. 2), a stage S82 of flowchart 80 encompasses basic cardiac life support device 50 monitoring a cardiac status of the patient via an analysis and interpretation of the ECG waveform data and further encompasses basic cardiac life support device 50 managing a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to the patient as derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

[0046] Once activated, a stage SI 02 of flowchart 100 encompasses cardiac life support adapter 60 ascertaining if adapter 60 has a wired or a wireless connection with basic cardiac life support device 50. Adapter 60 will repeat stage SI 02 until such time stage SI 02 of flowchart 100 ascertains adapter 60 has a wired or a wireless connection with basic cardiac life support device 50.

[0047] Basic cardiac life support device 50 repeats stage S82 until such time a stage S84 of flowchart 80 ascertains a wired or a wireless connection with cardiac life support adapter 60. Upon such time, basic cardiac life support device 50 will proceed to stage S86 of flowchart to continue stage S82 and to communicate cardiac status data to cardiac life support adapter 60 (e.g., CSD 70 of FIG. 2), whereby adapter 60 receives the cardiac status data during a stage SI 04 of flowchart 100 and further whereby device 50 repeats stages S82-S86 until receiving a communication of an advanced cardiac therapy (e.g., ACT 72 of FIG. 2) from adapter 60.

[0048] A stage SI 06 of flowchart 100 encompasses adapter 60 monitoring a cardiac status of the patient via an analysis and interpretation of the cardiac status data (e.g., ECG data). Adapter 60 will repeat stages S102-S106 until deriving and communicating an advanced cardiac therapy for patient 11 during a stage SI 08 of flowchart 100. Adapter 60 will then manage, during a stage SI 10 of flowchart 100, a delivery of the advanced cardiac thereby by device 50 during a stage S90 of flowchart 80.

[0049] In one exemplary embodiment of stages S90 and SI 10, adapter 60 initiates a control of basic cardiac therapy source 54 of FIG. 4 whereby the user interface of adapter 60 manages the delivery of the advanced cardiac therapy by device 50 (e.g., graphical user interface, buttons, etc.) to the patient.

[0050] In a second exemplary embodiment of stages S90 and SI 10, adapter 60 instructs device 50 on how to manage basic cardiac therapy source 54 of FIG. 4 for the delivery of the advanced cardiac therapy by device 50 via the user interface of device 50 (e.g., buttons).

[0051] An exemplary embodiment of device 50 is an Automated External Defibrillator configured with an application / module in accordance with flowchart 80 of FIG. 3.

[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary embodiments of adapter 60 in the form of a wristband 60a, a tablet 60b, a mobile phone 60c, and an Advanced Life Support Defibrillator 60d, each being configured with an application / module in accordance with flowchart 100 of FIG. 3.

[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary an analysis screen shoot 120, a charging screen shoot 121 and a delivery screen shot 122 for adapter 60 during an execution of flowchart 100 of FIG. 3. To facilitate a further understanding of the present disclosure, the following description of FIG. 6 teaches an exemplary embodiment of a BCLS controller in accordance with the present disclosure. From the description of FIG. 6, those having ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure will appreciate how to apply the present disclosure to make and use additional embodiments of a BCLS controller in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, shown is an exemplary embodiment of BCLS controller 130 that includes one or more processor(s) 131, memory 132, a user interface 133, a network interface 134, and a storage 135 interconnected via one or more system bus(es) 136.

[0055] Each processor 131 can be any hardware device, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, capable of executing instructions stored in memory 132 or storage or otherwise processing data. In a non-limiting example, the processor(s) 131 can include a microprocessor, field programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other similar devices.

[0056] The memory 132 can include various memories, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, LI, L2, or L3 cache or system memory. In a non-limiting example, the memory 132 can include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), flash memory, read only memory (ROM), or other similar memory devices.

[0057] The user interface 133 can include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication with a user such as an administrator. In a non-limiting example, the user interface can include a command line interface or graphical user interface that can be presented to a remote terminal via the network interface 134.

[0058] The network interface 134 can include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication other components of a medical device. In a non-limiting example, the network interface 134 can include a network interface card (NIC) configured to communicate according to the Ethernet protocol. Additionally, the network interface 134 may implement a TCP / IP stack for communication according to the TCP / IP protocols. Various alternative or additional hardware or configurations for the network interface 134 will be apparent. The storage 135 can include one or more machine-readable storage media, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, or similar storage media. In various non-limiting embodiments, the storage 135 can store instructions for execution by the processor(s) 131 or data upon with the processor(s) 131 may operate. For example, the storage 135 may store a base operating system for controlling various basic operations of the hardware.

[0059] The storage 135 can also store an application modules in the form of executable software / firmware for implementing the various functions of the method of FIG. 3 as previously described in the present disclosure.

[0060] In one exemplary embodiment as shown, storage 135 stores application modules 137 including a basic ECG analyzer 138 and a basic cardiac therapy manager 139, particularly in accordance with flowchart 100 of FIG. 3.

[0061] Storage SI 35 may further store a CPR quality analyzer 140, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for providing feedback on a quality of CPR being applied to the patient.

[0062] To facilitate a further understanding of the present disclosure, the following description of FIG. 7 teaches an exemplary embodiment of a ACLS controller in accordance with the present disclosure. From the description of FIG. 7, those having ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure will appreciate how to apply the present disclosure to make and use additional embodiments of an ACLS controller in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 7, shown is an exemplary embodiment of an ACLS controller 150 that includes one or more processor(s) 151, memory 152, a user interface 153, a network interface 154, and a storage 155 interconnected via one or more system bus(es) 156.

[0064] Each processor 151 can be any hardware device, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, capable of executing instructions stored in memory 152 or storage or otherwise processing data. In a non-limiting example, the processor(s) 151 can include a microprocessor, field programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other similar devices. The memory 152 can include various memories, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, LI, L2, or L3 cache or system memory. In a non-limiting example, the memory 152 can include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), flash memory, read only memory (ROM), or other similar memory devices.

[0065] The user interface 153 can include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication with a user such as an administrator. In a non-limiting example, the user interface can include a command line interface or graphical user interface that can be presented to a remote terminal via the network interface 154.

[0066] The network interface 154 can include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication other components of a medical device. In a non-limiting example, the network interface 154 can include a network interface card (NIC) configured to communicate according to the Ethernet protocol. Additionally, the network interface 154 may implement a TCP / IP stack for communication according to the TCP / IP protocols. Various alternative or additional hardware or configurations for the network interface 154 will be apparent.

[0067] The storage 155 can include one or more machine-readable storage media, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, or similar storage media. In various non-limiting embodiments, the storage 155 can store instructions for execution by the processor(s) 151 or data upon with the processor(s) 151 may operate. For example, the storage 155 may store a base operating system for controlling various basic operations of the hardware.

[0068] The storage 155 can also store an application modules in the form of executable software / firmware for implementing the various functions of the method of FIG. 3 as previously described in the present disclosure.

[0069] In one exemplary embodiment as shown, storage 155 stores application modules 157 including an advanced ECG analyzer 158 and an advanced cardiac therapy manager 159, particularly in accordance with flowchart 100 of FIG. 3. Storage SI 55 may further store a CPR quality analyzer 160, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for providing feedback on a quality of CPR being applied to the patient.

[0070] In practice, there are primarily two embodiments for the delivery management of an advanced cardiac therapy by a basic cardiac life support device to a patient.

[0071] In one exemplary embodiment, FIG. 8 A illustrates ACT manager 159a (FIG. 7) initiating a control of a BCT manager 139a (FIG. 6) whereby the user interface 153 (FIG. 7) manages the delivery of the advanced cardiac therapy by BCT manager 139a (e.g., graphical user interface, buttons, etc.) to the patient.

[0072] In a second exemplary embodiment, FIG. 8 A illustrates a BCT manager 139a receiving instruction from ACT manager 159b on how to manage the delivery of the advanced cardiac therapy via the user interface of device 133a (e.g., buttons).

[0073] From the description of FIGS. 1-8B herein, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the numerous benefits of the present disclosure including, but not limited to, adapting a basic cardiac life support device (e.g., Automated External Defibrillator) to operate as an advanced cardiac life support device (e.g., Advanced Life Support Defibrillator) during a managed delivery of an advanced cardiac therapy to the patient by the basic cardiac life support device.

[0074] The present disclosure has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

[0075] Further, as one having ordinary skill in the art shall appreciate in view of the teachings provided herein, features, elements, components, etc. disclosed and described in the present disclosure / specification and / or depicted in the appended Figures and / or recited in the Claims can be implemented in various combinations of hardware and software, and provide functions which may be combined in a single element or multiple elements. For example, the functions of the various features, elements, components, etc. shown / illustrated / depicted in the Figures and / or recited in the Claims can be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions can be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which can be shared and / or multiplexed. Moreover, explicit use of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and can implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (“DSP”) hardware, memory (e.g., read only memory (“ROM”) for storing software, random access memory (“RAM”), non-volatile storage, etc.) and virtually any means and / or machine (including hardware, software, firmware, combinations thereof, etc.) which is capable of (and / or configurable) to perform and / or control a process.

[0076] Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future (e.g., any elements developed that can perform the same or substantially similar functionality, regardless of structure). Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings provided herein that any block diagrams presented herein can represent conceptual views of illustrative system components and / or circuitry embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, one having ordinary skill in the art should appreciate in view of the teachings provided herein that any flow charts, flow diagrams and the like can represent various processes which can be substantially represented in computer readable storage media and so executed by a computer, processor or other device with processing capabilities, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0077] Having described preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons having ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings provided herein, including the appended Figures and claims. It is therefore to be understood that changes can be made in / to the preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure which are within the scope of the present disclosure and exemplary embodiments disclosed, described and taught herein. Moreover, it is contemplated that corresponding and / or related systems incorporating and / or implementing the device or such as may be used / implemented in a device in accordance with the present disclosure are also contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, corresponding and / or related method for manufacturing and / or using a device and / or system in accordance with the present disclosure are also contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

Claims:

1. A cardiac life support system, comprising: a basic cardiac life support device (50) and a cardiac life support adapter (60), wherein, when connected to patient, the basic cardiac life support device (50) is configured to monitor a cardiac status of the patient and to manage a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to the patient derived from the cardiac status of the patient, wherein, when the cardiac life support adapter (60) is in communication with the basic cardiac life support being connected to the patient, the cardiac life support adapter (60) is configured to: receive data representative of the cardiac status of the patient from the basic cardiac life support device (50); derive an advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device (50); and manage a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device (50) of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

2. The cardiac life support system of claim 1, wherein the basic cardiac therapy includes at least one of an automated defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient and the semi-automated defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

3. The cardiac life support system of claim 1, wherein the advanced cardiac therapy includes at least one of a manual defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient, a synchronized cardioversion derived from the cardiac status of the patient, and a transcutaneous pacing derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

4. The cardiac life support system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the basic cardiac life support device (50) and the cardiac life support adapter (60) is further configured to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality feedback when a cardiopulmonary resuscitation is being administered by a responder on the patient.

5. The cardiac life support system of claim 4, wherein the cardiac life support adapter (60) is connectable to the responder.

6. A cardiac life support adapter (60) for adapting a basic cardiac life support device (50) to deliver an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient when the basic cardiac life support device (50) is connected to the patient, the cardiac life support adapter (60) comprising: a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by at least one processor, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including the instructions to: receive data representative of the cardiac status of the patient from the basic cardiac life support device (50); derive the advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device (50); and manage a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device (50) of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

7. The cardiac life support adapter (60) of claim 6, wherein the advanced cardiac therapy includes at least one of a manual defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient, a synchronized cardioversion derived from the cardiac status of the patient, and a transcutaneous pacing derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

8. The cardiac life support adapter (60) of claim 6, wherein the non-transitory machine- readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by the at least one processor to: provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality feedback when a cardiopulmonary resuscitation is being administered by a responder on the patient.

9. The cardiac life support adapter (60) of claim 8, wherein the cardiac life support adapter (60) is connectable to the responder.

10. The cardiac life support adapter (60) of claim 8, wherein the cardiac life support adapter (60) is installed in one of a mobile device (50) or a responder wrist band.

11. A cardiac life support method for adapting a basic cardiac life support device (50) to deliver an advanced cardiac therapy to a patient, the basic cardiac life support device (50) when connected to a patient being configured to monitor a cardiac status of the patient and to manage a delivery of a basic cardiac therapy to the patient derived from the cardiac status of the patient, the advanced cardiac life support adapter (60) being configured to monitor the cardiac status of the patient and to derive an advanced cardiac therapy for the patient from the cardiac status of the patient, the cardiac life support method comprising: establishing communication between the basic cardiac life support device (50) and the cardiac life support adapter (60) when the basic cardiac life support device (50) is connected to the patient; and adapting the basic cardiac life support device (50) as connected to the patient to deliver the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient including: the basic cardiac life support device (50) communicating data representative of the cardiac status of the patient to the cardiac life support adapter (60), the cardiac life support adapter (60) deriving the advanced cardiac therapy from the data representative of the cardiac status of the patient received from the basic cardiac life support device (50), and the cardiac life support adapter (60) managing a delivery by the basic cardiac life support device (50) of the advanced cardiac therapy to the patient.

12. The cardiac life support method of claim 11, wherein the basic cardiac therapy includes at least one of an automated defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient and a semi-automated defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

13. The cardiac life support method of claim 11, wherein the customized advanced cardiac therapy includes at least one of a manual defibrillation derived from the cardiac status of the patient, a synchronized cardioversion derived from the cardiac status of the patient, and a transcutaneous pacing derived from the cardiac status of the patient.

14. The cardiac life support method of claim 11, further comprising: the basic cardiac life support device (50) or the cardiac life support adapter (60) providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality feedback when a cardiopulmonary resuscitation is being administered by a responder on the patient.

15. The cardiac life support method of claim 14, wherein the cardiac life support adapter (60) is connected to the responder.

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