Treatment support program and treatment support device

Abstract

Provided are a treatment support program and a treatment support device.　This treatment support program causes a processor to execute: a first step of acquiring a plurality of sets of measurement data including biological information measured from a subject in a period including a plurality of days and a measurement date and time of the biological information; a second step of deriving, on the basis of the plurality of sets of measurement data, a measurement frequency of the biological information for each time period in a day; a third step of determining a first period in the day on the basis of the measurement frequency; and a fourth step of performing a first process based on the measurement data including a measurement time in the first period.

Description

Treatment support program, and treatment support device

[0001] The present invention relates to a treatment support program and a treatment support device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for calculating the average and standard deviation of vital information based on a plurality of vital information (vital information measured in the morning and evening time zones) and measurement date and time information measured from the same individual over a predetermined period, and based on this, determining whether the newly received vital information of the same individual is an outlier.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a feature extraction device that extracts features for evaluating a health state from measurement data of biological indicators. This device creates a model representing the probability distribution of the values of biological indicators based on a plurality of measurement data accumulated in the past, obtains the appearance probability of each value of the plurality of measurement data by referring to the model for the plurality of measurement data to be evaluated, integrates the appearance probabilities of each value of the plurality of measurement data to calculate one score, and outputs the score as a feature of the plurality of measurement data.

[0004] International Publication No. 2018 / 185808, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-152658

[0005] Treatment of hypertension and the like is preferably performed while checking the daily blood pressure changes measured in daily life. For example, in the hypertension treatment guidelines in Japan, home blood pressure measurement is recommended to be performed twice a day (after waking up and before going to bed). In the United States as well, measurement twice a day, in the morning (before breakfast and taking medicine) and in the evening (before dinner), is recommended.

[0006] However, the timing of waking up and going to bed, and the timing of breakfast and dinner can have individual differences depending on work patterns and lifestyle habits. In a country like the United States where there is a large time difference even within the country, such individual differences become prominent.

[0007] Therefore, if only blood pressure data measured at two predetermined time slots (for example, morning and evening) is referenced, patients who wake up or go to sleep at times other than those designated and have their blood pressure measured will have insufficient blood pressure data for the time slots necessary for determining appropriate treatment, making it difficult to decide on an appropriate treatment plan. It is possible to add time slots to blood pressure data by adding a wake-up button / sleep-time button to the blood pressure monitor and specifying it at the time of measurement, but if the button is not pressed, necessary data will be lost. Also, some users may find the operation cumbersome.

[0008] Furthermore, these challenges are not limited to measuring blood pressure for the treatment of hypertension; they can also arise in other areas, such as measuring blood glucose levels for the treatment of hyperglycemia or measuring weight for the treatment of obesity. Blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and weight are all forms of biological information.

[0009] The objective of this invention is to enable physicians to provide information that supports the treatment of patients, even when patients measure their biological information without being aware of the time of day.

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

[0011] (1) A treatment support program that causes a processor to perform the following steps: a first step of acquiring multiple measurement data including biological information measured from a subject over a period of time including multiple days and the date and time of measurement of the biological information; a second step of deriving the measurement frequency of the biological information for each time period of the day based on the multiple measurement data; a third step of determining a first period of the day based on the measurement frequency; and a fourth step of performing a first processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the first period.

[0012] (2) A treatment support program as described in (1), wherein the third step determines the first period based on the first time period in which the measurement frequency is greatest.

[0013] (3) A treatment support program as described in (2), wherein the third step sets a first judgment period which is shorter than one day and spans the first time period, and determines the first judgment period as the first period if the relationship between the number of measurement data to which the measurement time belongs in the first judgment period and the number of the multiple measurement data satisfies the first condition.

[0014] (4) A treatment support program as described in (3), wherein the third step is to set an extended judgment period by widening the first judgment period if the first condition is met, and to determine the extended judgment period as the first period if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the extended judgment period is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the first judgment period.

[0015] (5) A treatment support program as described in (3), wherein the third step is to set a shifted judgment period if the first condition is met, and if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the shifted judgment period is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the first judgment period, the shifted judgment period is determined to be the first period.

[0016] (6) A treatment support program according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the program causes the processor to perform a fifth step of determining a second period different from the first period in a day based on the measurement frequency in a period other than the first period in a day, and a sixth step of performing a second processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the second period.

[0017] (7) A treatment support program as described in (6), wherein the fifth step is a treatment support program in which the second period is determined based on the second time period, which is the time period in the above period other than the first period in which the measurement frequency is greatest.

[0018] (8) A treatment support program as described in (7), wherein the fifth step sets a second judgment period which is a period that spans the second time period in a period other than the first period, and determines the second judgment period as the second period if the relationship between the number of measurement data to which the measurement time belongs in the second judgment period and the number of multiple measurement data satisfies the second condition.

[0019] (9) A treatment support program as described in (8), wherein the fifth step does not determine the second period if the second condition is not met.

[0020] (10) A treatment support program according to (8) or (9), wherein the processor is instructed to perform the step of setting the earlier of the first period and the second period as the measurement period after waking up, and the later of the two periods as the measurement period before going to bed.

[0021] (11) A treatment support program according to any one of (6) to (10), wherein the processor performs a seventh step of performing a third processing based on the measurement data, including the measurement time, during a third period other than the first period and the second period in a day.

[0022] (12) A treatment support program according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein if the plurality of measurement data includes measurement data containing biological information measured after the subject has gone to sleep, the treatment support program causes the processor to perform a seventh step of excluding such measurement data from the data used to derive the measurement frequency.

[0023] (13) A treatment support device comprising a processor that acquires multiple measurement data including biological information measured from a subject over a period including multiple days and the time of measurement of the biological information, derives the measurement frequency of the biological information for each time period of the day based on the multiple measurement data, determines a first period of the day based on the measurement frequency, and performs a first processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the first period.

[0024] According to the present invention, even when a patient measures their biological information without being aware of the time of day, it becomes possible to provide physicians with information that can support the treatment of that patient.

[0025] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a treatment support system 100, including one embodiment of the treatment support device. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal hardware configuration of the electronic device 2 of the treatment support system 100 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the internal hardware configuration of the treatment support device 3 of the treatment support system 100 shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of user measurement data uploaded to the treatment support device 3. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing of the system control unit 31 that executes the treatment support program. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the number of measurement data aggregated for each interval of the day as the number of measurements on the vertical axis. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display by the treatment support device 3. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example in Figure 6 where the judgment period is extended.

[0026] §1 Examples of Application In a system to which the treatment support device relating to the technology of this disclosure is applied, the treatment support device acquires multiple measurement data, including biological information (e.g., systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate) and the time of measurement of such biological information (e.g., year, month, day, and time), measured from a subject over a period including multiple days, derives the measurement frequency of biological information for each time period of the subject over a day based on the multiple measurement data, determines a first period of the subject over a day based on the measurement frequency, and performs a first processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time within that first period.

[0027] This allows us to determine the first period for a subject who has been instructed to take measurements twice a day, once after waking up and once before going to bed, based on the period with the highest measurement frequency. As a first process, for example, we can employ a process that generates information showing the changes in biological information obtained from the subject during the first period and displays it on a display device. By checking the displayed information, the physician can judge the effect of medication on the subject and use it to determine the treatment plan. Since the first period is determined based on the timing of biological information measurements by the subject, it becomes possible to accurately grasp the biological information of the subject after waking up and before going to bed, regardless of individual differences, and support appropriate treatment.

[0028] §2 Configuration Examples The following describes specific configuration examples of systems to which the treatment support device relating to the technology of this disclosure is applied.

[0029] <System Configuration> Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a treatment support system 100, including one embodiment of the treatment support device. The treatment support system 100 comprises a blood pressure monitor 1, electronic equipment 2, and a treatment support device 3.

[0030] The blood pressure monitor 1 measures the user's (person being measured's) blood pressure information (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate) using a cuff wrapped around the user's (person being measured's) upper arm, and stores the measurement results in memory in association with the measurement date and time information. The measurement date and time information includes the date, day of the week, and time of measurement of the blood pressure information. The configuration of the blood pressure monitor 1 is not particularly limited. The blood pressure monitor 1 is not limited to measuring blood pressure information from the upper arm, but may also measure blood pressure information from the wrist.

[0031] The memory of the blood pressure monitor 1 stores measurement data, including blood pressure information measured by the user and measurement date and time information. The blood pressure monitor 1 further has a communication interface for communicating with the electronic device 2 wirelessly or via a wired connection, and is configured to transmit the measurement data stored in the memory to the electronic device 2.

[0032] In this system, it is assumed that the user has been instructed by a doctor to measure blood pressure information using blood pressure monitor 1 at two different times of the day (after waking up and before going to bed).

[0033] Electronic device 2 is an electronic device such as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet device. Electronic device 2 can communicate with blood pressure monitor 1 by wired or wireless means and can read measurement data stored in the memory of blood pressure monitor 1.

[0034] In the treatment support system 100, for example, a user of the blood pressure monitor 1 can install an application for blood pressure management (hereinafter referred to as the blood pressure management application) on their own electronic device 2, thereby enabling the blood pressure monitor 1 and the electronic device 2 to work together.

[0035] The treatment support device 3 is, for example, a computer such as a server operated by the administrator of the blood pressure management application mentioned above. The treatment support device 3 is configured to collect measurement data from the electronic device 2, analyzes the collected measurement data, and processes information based on the analysis results to present to the physician.

[0036] <Configuration of the electronic device> Figure 2 shows an example of the internal hardware configuration of the electronic device 2 of the treatment support system 100 shown in Figure 1. The electronic device 2 comprises a communication interface (hereinafter referred to as I / F) 22, a storage medium 23, an operation unit 24, a display unit 25, a speaker 26, and a system control unit 21 that comprehensively controls these.

[0037] The system control unit 21 includes a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which programs executed by the processor are stored, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as work memory.

[0038] The communication interface 22 is an interface for connecting to other devices, including the blood pressure monitor 1 and the treatment support device 3, via wired or wireless communication. Note that separate communication interfaces 22 may be provided for connecting to the blood pressure monitor 1 and for connecting to the treatment support device 3.

[0039] The storage medium 23 stores the measurement data received from the sphygmomanometer 1. The storage medium 23 is constituted by, for example, a flash memory or the like. The storage medium 23 may be detachable from the electronic device 2.

[0040] The operation unit 24 is an interface for inputting an instruction signal to the system control unit 21, and is constituted by a keyboard, a mouse, buttons, a touch panel, or the like.

[0041] The display unit 25 is for displaying various kinds of information, and is constituted by, for example, a liquid crystal display device or the like.

[0042] In the electronic device 2, when measurement data is stored in the storage medium 23 by the function of the blood pressure management application, the measurement data may be uploaded to the treatment support device 3 at a predetermined timing (for example, the timing immediately after data storage).

[0043] <Configuration of Treatment Support Device> FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the internal hardware configuration of the treatment support device 3 of the treatment support system 100 shown in FIG. 1. The treatment support device 3 includes a system control unit 31, a communication I / F 32, and a database 33.

[0044] The system control unit 31 includes a processor, a ROM in which programs executed by this processor and the like are stored, and a RAM as a work memory. A treatment support program is stored in the ROM of the system control unit 31.

[0045] The communication I / F 32 is an interface for connecting to the electronic device 2 by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0046] The database 33 includes a storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory that stores various kinds of data. The various kinds of data include measurement data uploaded from the electronic device 2 and the like. <FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of measurement data of a user uploaded to the treatment support device 3. FIG. 4 shows a group of measurement data obtained by the user measuring with the sphygmomanometer 1 every week for five weeks. The measurement data groups G1 to G5 respectively show the data obtained in the first week to the fifth week out of the five weeks. In each measurement data group, blood pressure information (SYS, DIA, BPM) and the measurement time of the blood pressure information correspond to each day of the week.

[0048] In this system, since it is assumed that blood pressure information is measured twice a day, it is illustrated that two data sets of blood pressure information and measurement time correspond to the same day of the week. However, since the user may forget to measure, the number of data sets for the same day of the week varies.

[0049] §3 Operation Example FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the processing of the system control unit 31 that has executed the treatment support program. In the treatment support device 3, when measurement data uploaded during a predetermined period including a plurality of days (for example, five weeks as shown in FIG. 4) is stored in the database 33, the flow of FIG. 5 is started.

[0050] The system control unit 31 acquires measurement data for five weeks from the database 33 (step S1), and based on the measurement data for the five weeks, derives the measurement frequency of the blood pressure information for each time zone in a day of the user (step S2). The width of this time zone is arbitrary, but it is preferably shorter than one hour. Hereinafter, this time zone will be described as 15 minutes for example. For example, the system control unit 31 divides twenty-four hours of a day into intervals of 15 minutes, and totals the number of measurement data included in the measurement time for each interval. The number of measurement data totaled for each interval becomes information indicating the measurement frequency for each time zone in a day of the user.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the number of measurement data totaled for each interval of a day on the vertical axis as the number of measurements. In the example shown in FIG. 6, it can be seen that the user measures the blood pressure information after waking up around 12:00. Also, it can be seen that the user measures the blood pressure information before going to bed around 24:00.

[0052] After step S2, the system control unit 31 determines the first time period T1 with the highest measurement frequency during the day based on the derived measurement frequency (step S3). For example, with the data shown in Figure 6, the time period corresponding to bar graph A1 with the highest number of measurements is determined as the first time period T1.

[0053] Furthermore, it is preferable to determine the first time zone T1 according to the weighted average wp[k] calculated using the following formula. In the following formula, k is a number indicating the position of the time zone, and in the example where the time zone is 15 minutes, it takes values ​​from 1 to 96. In the following formula, p[k] indicates the number of measurements corresponding to the k-th time zone counting from the 0 o'clock side. For p[k-2], p[k-1], p[k+1], and p[k+2], if the target time zone does not exist, the value is set to 0.

[0054]

[0055] After calculating the weighted average wp[k] for each of the values ​​of k from 1 to 96 using the above formula, determine the value of k that maximizes the weighted average wp[k], and then decide that k-th time period is the first time period T1.

[0056] After step S3, the system control unit 31 sets a first determination period J1 which is shorter than one day and spans the first time period T1 (step S4). The first determination period J1 is, for example, the sum of the first time period T1, the period from the first time period T1 to a predetermined time t1, and the period from the first time period T1 to a predetermined time t2. Preferably, the predetermined time t1 and predetermined time t2 are the same. The predetermined times t1 and t2 are arbitrary values, but preferably about one hour or two hours. In the example shown in Figure 6, the first determination period J1 is shown as a period with a width of two hours before and after the first time period T1.

[0057] After step S4, the system control unit 31 determines whether the relationship between the number of measurement data X1 whose measurement time falls within the first determination period J1 and the total number of measurement data Y for five weeks satisfies the first condition (step S5). The relationship between X1 and Y indicates how large X1 is relative to Y, for example, the ratio of X1 to Y (= X1 / Y). The first condition is, for example, that this ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0058] If the determination in step S5 is YES, the system control unit 31 determines the first determination period J1 as the first period (step S6). The first period corresponds to one of the two measurement time periods in which blood pressure measurement is recommended in the hypertension treatment guidelines.

[0059] After step S6, the system control unit 31 determines the second time period T2, which has the highest measurement frequency in the period other than the first judgment period J1 determined as the first period (step S7). For example, with the data shown in Figure 6, the time period corresponding to the bar graph A2 with the maximum number of measurements in the period excluding the first judgment period J1 is determined as the second time period T2. It is preferable to determine the second time period T2 by calculating the weighted average wp[k] using the above formula.

[0060] After step S7, the system control unit 31 sets a second determination period J2, which is a period shorter than one day and spans the second time zone T2, for periods other than the first period of a day (step S8). The second determination period J2 is, for example, the sum of the second time zone T2, the period from the second time zone T2 to before the predetermined time t1, and the period from the second time zone T2 to after the predetermined time t2. In the example shown in Figure 6, the second determination period J2 is shown as a period with a width of 2 hours before and after the second time zone T2.

[0061] After step S8, the system control unit 31 determines whether the relationship between the number of measurement data X2 whose measurement time falls within the second judgment period J2 and the total number of measurement data Y for five weeks satisfies the second condition (step S9). The relationship between X2 and Y indicates how large X2 is relative to Y, for example, the ratio of X2 to Y (= X2 / Y). The second condition is, for example, that this ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0062] If the determination in step S9 is YES, the system control unit 31 determines the second determination period J2 as the second period (step S10). The second period corresponds to the other of the two measurement time periods for which blood pressure measurement is recommended in the hypertension treatment guidelines.

[0063] If steps S6 and S10 are performed, the system control unit 31 compares the start time of the first determination period J1, which was determined as the first period, with the start time of the second determination period J2, which was determined as the second period. The earlier start time is set as the measurement time period after waking up, and the later start time is set as the measurement time period before going to bed. The date to which these measurement time periods after waking up and before going to bed belong is set to the date to which their start times belong. For example, even if the measurement time period before going to bed spans across dates, the date to which the start time of that measurement time period before going to bed belongs is treated as the date on which that measurement time period before going to bed is set.

[0064] If the determination in step S9 is NO, the system control unit 31 does not determine the second period (step S12). In other words, it determines only one of the two measurement time periods recommended by the hypertension treatment guidelines and terminates the process. If the second period is not determined, the system control unit 31 determines the start time of the first determination period J1 determined as the first period, and if this start time falls within the nighttime (for example, from 5pm to 5am the next day), it sets the first determination period J1 as the measurement time period before going to bed. On the other hand, if this start time falls within the daytime (for example, from 5am to 5pm), the system control unit 31 sets the determined first period as the measurement time period after waking up.

[0065] If the determination in step S5 is NO, the system control unit 31 determines the morning period as the measurement time after waking up and the evening period as the measurement time before going to bed (step S11), out of two predetermined periods in a day (for example, the morning period from 8:00 to 11:00 and the evening period from 19:00 to 23:00), and terminates the process. These two periods are arbitrarily set to a range that includes the timings recommended in the hypertension treatment guidelines.

[0066] After the process shown in Figure 5 is completed, if the first period was determined in step S6, the system control unit 31 performs a first processing based on the measurement data that includes the measurement time in this first period from the total number Y of measurement data acquired in step S1. This first processing is, for example, the process of deriving representative values ​​of blood pressure information included in the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the first period. Representative values ​​of blood pressure information are, for example, the average or median of systolic blood pressure, the average or median of diastolic blood pressure, and the average or median of pulse rate measured in the first period of the same week.

[0067] The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​C1a (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and representative pulse rate P1a from the measurement data group G1 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the first period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​C2a (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and representative pulse rate P2a from the measurement data group G2 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the first period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​C3a (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and representative pulse rate P3a from the measurement data group G3 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the first period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​C4a (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and representative pulse rate P4a from the measurement data group G4 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the first period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​C5a (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and P5a of pulse rate from the measurement data group G5 shown in Figure 4, which include the measurement time in the first period.

[0068] Then, the system control unit 31 displays the derived weekly representative values ​​C1a, C2a, C3a, C4a, and C5a on the display in the form of a bar graph, as shown in Figure 7, for example, and displays the derived weekly representative values ​​P1a, P2a, P3a, P4a, and P5a on the display in the form of a plot.

[0069] After the process shown in Figure 5 is completed, if the second period was determined in step S10, the system control unit 31 performs a second processing based on the measurement data from the total number Y of measurement data acquired in step S1 that includes the measurement time in this second period. This second processing is, for example, a process of deriving representative values ​​of blood pressure information included in the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the second period. Representative values ​​of blood pressure information are, for example, the average or median of systolic blood pressure, the average or median of diastolic blood pressure, and the average or median of pulse rate measured in the second period of the same week.

[0070] The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C1p (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P1p from the measurement data group G1 shown in Figure 4, specifically from the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the second period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C2p (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P2p from the measurement data group G2 shown in Figure 4, specifically from the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the second period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C3p (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P3p from the measurement data group G3 shown in Figure 4, specifically from the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the second period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C4p (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P4p from the measurement data group G4 shown in Figure 4, specifically from the measurement data group G4 shown in Figure 4, specifically from the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the second period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C5p (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P5p from the measurement data group G5 shown in Figure 4, which include the measurement time in the second period.

[0071] Then, the system control unit 31 displays the derived weekly representative values ​​C1p, C2p, C3p, C4p, and C5p on the display in the form of a bar graph, as shown in Figure 7, for example, and displays the derived weekly representative values ​​P1p, P2p, P3p, P4p, and P5p on the display in the form of a plot.

[0072] After the process shown in Figure 5 is completed, if the system control unit 31 has determined both the first and second periods, it may perform a third process based on the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the third period, which is a period other than the first and second periods of the day, from the total number of measurement data Y acquired in step S1. This third process is, for example, a process of deriving a representative value of the blood pressure information included in the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the third period.

[0073] For example, let's explain using the case where the user measured blood pressure information during the third period in the first three weeks of a five-week period. An example of measuring during the third period is, for instance, measuring when symptoms of a disease being treated appear. In this case, the system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C1s (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P1s from the measurement data group G1 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the third period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C2s (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P2s from the measurement data group G2 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the third period. The system control unit 31 derives representative values ​​of blood pressure C3s (representative systolic blood pressure and representative diastolic blood pressure) and pulse rate P3s from the measurement data group G3 shown in Figure 4, which includes the measurement time in the third period.

[0074] The system control unit 31 then displays the derived weekly representative values ​​C1s, C2s, and C3s on the display in the form of a bar graph, and the derived weekly representative values ​​P1s, P2s, and P3s on the display in the form of a plot, as shown in Figure 7. The system control unit 31 performs the above processing every time five weeks' worth of measurement data is accumulated. This makes it possible to check the trend of blood pressure information every five weeks, as shown in Figure 7.

[0075] The system control unit 31 may also display the number of measurement data (number of measurements) including the measurement time for each of the first, second, and third periods on the display. In the example in Figure 7, the number of measurement data obtained in the first period Na, the number of measurement data obtained in the second period Np, and the number of measurement data obtained in the third period Ns are displayed in the form of a bar graph for each week in the display area H.

[0076] If the system control unit 31 has performed the process in step S12, it only needs to perform the first process described above.

[0077] If the system control unit 31 has performed the processing in step S11, it will perform processing based on the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the measurement time period after waking up, and processing based on the measurement data that includes the measurement time in the measurement time period before going to bed, from the total number of measurement data Y acquired in step S1. These processes derive and display representative values ​​of blood pressure information on a weekly basis.

[0078] As described above, with the treatment support device 3, the first and second periods, corresponding to the measurement time after waking up and the measurement time before going to sleep, are determined based on the timing of the user's measurement of biological information. Therefore, regardless of individual differences, it becomes possible to accurately grasp the biological information of the user after waking up and before going to sleep, thereby supporting appropriate treatment.

[0079] Furthermore, with the treatment support device 3, blood pressure information measured outside of the measurement time periods after waking up and before going to bed can also be viewed on the display, thus supporting appropriate treatment. In addition, as shown in the display area H of Figure 7, the number of measurements is displayed, allowing users to understand whether the representative value of the displayed blood pressure information is based on a small number of measurements or a large number of measurements. This allows for an assessment of the reliability of the representative value and can be used to determine the treatment plan.

[0080] According to the treatment support device 3, if the judgment in step S5 is NO, the predetermined time periods are set as the measurement time period after waking up and the measurement time period before going to bed. Therefore, even users who do not concentrate their measurements at specific time periods can check the long-term trend of their blood pressure information.

[0081] §4 Modifications Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the above description is merely illustrative in all respects of the present invention. Various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are possible.

[0082] The system control unit 31 performs a process to derive a representative value of the pulse rate and display it, but this process is not mandatory and can be omitted.

[0083] The system control unit 31 derives and displays representative values ​​for blood pressure information on a weekly basis, but the length of the period for which the representative values ​​are derived is not limited to one week, but can be any length.

[0084] In step S6, the system control unit 31 may set an extended judgment period J1x by widening the first judgment period J1, as shown in Figure 8, and if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the extended judgment period J1x is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the first judgment period J1, the extended judgment period J1x may be determined as the first period.

[0085] The extended judgment period J1x is the sum of the first time period T1, the period from the first time period T1 to a predetermined time t3 before, and the period from the first time period T1 to a predetermined time t4 after. Preferably, the predetermined time t3 and predetermined time t4 are the same. The predetermined times t3 and t4 are arbitrary values ​​that are greater than the predetermined times t1 and t2.

[0086] In the example shown in Figure 8, the extended judgment period J1x is shown as a period with a width of 3 hours before and after the first time period T1. By widening the width of the judgment period in this way, the measurement data measured in time period T1a can be treated as measurement data before the subject goes to sleep, and the first period can be determined with greater accuracy.

[0087] In step S6, instead of setting an extended judgment period J1x by widening the first judgment period J1, the system control unit 31 moves the first judgment period J1 forward or backward to set a shifted judgment period J1y. Then, if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the shifted judgment period J1y is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the first judgment period J1, the system control unit 31 may decide that the shifted judgment period J1y is the first period. By shifting the judgment period in this way, for example, measurement data measured in time period T1a can be treated as measurement data taken before the subject went to sleep, and the first period can be determined with higher accuracy.

[0088] In step S10, as shown in Figure 8, the system control unit 31 may set an extended judgment period J2x by widening the second judgment period J2, and if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the extended judgment period J2x is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the second judgment period J2, the extended judgment period J2x may be determined as the second period. In the example shown in Figure 8, the extended judgment period J2x is shown as a period with a width of 3 hours before and after the second time period T2. By widening the width of the judgment period in this way, the second period can be determined with higher accuracy.

[0089] In step S10, the system control unit 31 may, instead of setting an extended judgment period J2x by widening the second judgment period J2, set a shifted judgment period J2y by moving the second judgment period J2 forward or backward. If the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the shifted judgment period J2y is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the second judgment period J2, the shifted judgment period J2y may be determined as the second period. By shifting the judgment period in this way, the second period can be determined with greater accuracy.

[0090] In the measurement data shown in Figure 4, if multiple measurements are taken at the same time on the same day, the system control unit 31 may average the multiple blood pressure information contained in the measurement data obtained from those multiple measurements, generate measurement data that includes the measurement time of one of the multiple measurement data and the averaged blood pressure information, replace the multiple measurement data with this measurement data, and derive the measurement frequency based on the replaced set of measurement data.

[0091] The system control unit 31, for example, divides a day in half and derives the variance of the number of measurements in each period as shown in Figure 6. If the variance is small, the width of the first judgment period J1 and the second judgment period J2 may be set to a width even shorter than the default value of one hour or two hours.

[0092] The widths of the first judgment period J1 and the second judgment period J2 may be variable depending on the person being measured. For example, by determining an appropriate width for a person based on their past measurement history, the first and second periods can be determined with greater accuracy.

[0093] In the above explanation, it was stated that the system determines whether the first period is the measurement period before going to bed or the measurement period after waking up, according to the start time of the first period determined in step S6, but it is not limited to this. In recent years, since sleep monitors and the like exist, it is also possible to include wake-up time and bedtime data in the measurement data. If the measurement data includes wake-up time and bedtime information, the system control unit 31 may use this information to determine whether the first period is the measurement period before going to bed or the measurement period after waking up.

[0094] The blood pressure monitor 1 can also automatically determine and add information to the measurement data to help determine the timing of waking up and going to sleep. For example, the blood pressure monitor 1 can be equipped with an illuminance sensor. If the illuminance detected at the time of measurement is bright, daytime information will be added to the measurement data. If the illuminance detected at the time of measurement is dim, nighttime information will be added to the measurement data. The system control unit 31 may select the earliest measurement time from among the measurement data to which the measurement time belongs in the first period. If the selected measurement data includes daytime information, the first period may be set as the measurement time after waking up. If the selected measurement data includes nighttime information, the first period may be set as the measurement time before going to sleep.

[0095] Blood pressure readings taken during sleep are sometimes necessary when determining treatment strategies. For example, when a blood pressure monitor (1) detects that the subject has gone to sleep, it automatically measures the subject's blood pressure information and records the measurement data after a predetermined time has elapsed since the subject went to sleep. Sleep can be detected, for example, by the subject pressing a sleep button when going to bed. This measurement data should include nocturnal blood pressure information indicating that the blood pressure was measured during sleep.

[0096] In step S2, when the system control unit 31 derives the measurement frequency, it derives the measurement frequency for each time of day based on the remaining measurement data obtained in step S1, excluding the measurement data containing this nighttime blood pressure information. In this way, it becomes possible to check the trend of the subject's blood pressure information while excluding blood pressure information during sleep, which can contribute to the formulation of appropriate treatment plans by physicians.

[0097] Although blood pressure monitor 1 and electronic device 2 are treated as separate devices, it is also possible to configure blood pressure monitor 1 to include the functions of electronic device 2.

[0098] Although the electronic device 2 and the treatment support device 3 are described as separate devices, the electronic device 2 may also be configured to include the functions of the treatment support device 3.

[0099] The above description describes a system that allows physicians to check the trends in blood pressure information. However, the technology disclosed herein can also replace the blood pressure monitor 1 with a body composition analyzer or a blood glucose meter. In this case, the physician can be shown the trends in weight, which is recommended to be measured in the morning and evening, and this can contribute to the physician's formulation of a treatment plan for weight management. Furthermore, the physician can be shown the trends in blood glucose levels measured at multiple times, such as after waking up, after meals, before and after exercise, and before going to bed, and this can also contribute to the physician's formulation of a treatment plan for blood glucose management.

[0100] The treatment support program as described herein may be program code or multiple code segments stored on one or more non-temporary computer-readable media (e.g., storage media or other storage devices). The treatment support program may be divided and stored on multiple non-temporary computer-readable media located on devices that are physically separated from each other.

[0101] Although various embodiments have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components in the above embodiments may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0102] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-025307 filed on February 19, 2025, and its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0103] 1 Blood pressure monitor 2 Electronic equipment 3 Treatment support device 21, 31 System control unit 22 Communication interface 22, 32 Communication I / F 23 Storage medium 24 Operation unit 25 Display unit 26 Speaker 33 Database 100 Treatment support system T1 First time period A1, A2 Bar graph J1 First judgment period G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 Measurement data group C1a, C1p, C1s, C2a, C2p, C2s, C3a, C3p, C3s, C4a, C4p, C5a, C5p Representative value P1a, P1p, P1s, P2a, P2p, P2s, P3a, P3p, P3s, P4a, P4p, P5a, P5p Representative value T1a Time period J1x, J2x Extended judgment period T2 Second time zone J2 Second judgment period 22, 32 Communication I / F

Claims

1. A treatment support program that causes a processor to perform the following steps: a first step of acquiring multiple measurement data including biological information measured from a subject over a period of time including multiple days and the date and time of measurement of said biological information; a second step of deriving the measurement frequency of said biological information for each time period of the day based on the multiple measurement data; a third step of determining a first period of the day based on the measurement frequency; and a fourth step of performing a first processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the first period.

2. A treatment support program according to claim 1, wherein the third step is a treatment support program that determines the first period based on the first time period in which the measurement frequency is maximum.

3. A treatment support program according to claim 2, wherein the third step is to set a first determination period which is shorter than one day and spans the first time period, and to determine the first determination period as the first period if the relationship between the number of measurement data to which the measurement time belongs in the first determination period and the number of the plurality of measurement data satisfies the first condition.

4. A treatment support program according to claim 3, wherein the third step is to set an extended judgment period by widening the first judgment period when the first condition is met, and to determine the extended judgment period as the first period when the number of measurement data whose measurement time belongs to the extended judgment period is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time belongs to the first judgment period.

5. A treatment support program according to claim 3, wherein the third step is to set a shifted determination period if the first condition is met, and to determine the shifted determination period as the first period if the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the shift determination period is greater than the number of measurement data whose measurement time falls within the first determination period.

6. A treatment support program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the processor is caused to perform a fifth step of determining a second period different from the first period in a day based on the measurement frequency in a period other than the first period in a day, and a sixth step of performing a second processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the second period.

7. A treatment support program according to claim 6, wherein the fifth step is to determine the second period based on a second time period which is the time period in the period other than the first period in which the measurement frequency is maximum.

8. A treatment support program according to claim 7, wherein the fifth step is to set a second determination period which is a period that spans the second time period in a period other than the first period, and to determine the second determination period as the second period if the relationship between the number of measurement data to which the measurement time belongs in the second determination period and the number of the plurality of measurement data satisfies the second condition.

9. A treatment support program according to claim 8, wherein the fifth step is to not determine the second period if the second condition is not met.

10. A treatment support program according to claim 8, wherein the processor is instructed to perform the step of setting the earlier of the first period and the second period as the measurement period after waking up, and the later of the two periods as the measurement period before going to bed.

11. A treatment support program according to claim 6, wherein the processor performs a seventh step of performing a third processing based on the measurement data, including the measurement time, during a third period other than the first and second periods in a day.

12. A treatment support program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein if the plurality of measurement data includes measurement data that includes biological information measured after the subject has gone to sleep, the treatment support program causes the processor to perform a seventh step of excluding such measurement data from the data used to derive the measurement frequency.

13. A treatment support device comprising a processor that acquires multiple measurement data including biological information measured from a subject over a period including multiple days and the time of measurement of said biological information; derives the measurement frequency of said biological information for each time period of the day based on the multiple measurement data; determines a first period of the day based on the measurement frequency; and performs a first processing based on the measurement data including the measurement time in the first period.

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