Cardiac Pacemaker Therapy for Non-Cardiac Cachexia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients with cachexia due to acute or chronic illnesses other than cardiac illnesses, such as cancer, COPD, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, and AIDS, experience high mortality rates, muscle wasting, and severe symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue, for which existing treatments lack effective solutions.
Innovation Solution
The use of cardiac pacemakers, specifically cardiac resynchronization devices (CRT) and automated internal cardiac defibrillators (ICD), to regulate heartbeats, reduce natriuretic peptide levels, and manage arrhythmias, thereby improving the general condition and reducing mortality in these patients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cardiac pacemakers (CRT/ICD) are used to regulate heartbeats in patients with non-cardiac illnesses, then physical performance and general condition are improved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using cardiac pacemakers (CRT and ICD devices) originally designed for cardiac conditions to treat non-cardiac illnesses such as cancer, COPD, and AIDS. The device serves multiple functions: regulating heartbeats, reducing natriuretic peptide levels, managing arrhythmias, and improving overall physical condition in patients without primary cardiac disease. This multi-functional application resolves the contradiction by leveraging existing device capabilities to address mortality issues in non-cardiac patients.
2Reliability
If cardiac pacemakers are implanted to reduce symptoms of shortness of breath and fatigue, then patient quality of life improves, but ease of operation and patient acceptance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the universality principle to symptom management by demonstrating that cardiac pacemakers can effectively treat respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath) and fatigue in non-cardiac patients. This resolves the contradiction by showing that a single device can address multiple symptom types through its primary mechanism of regulating heartbeats and reducing natriuretic peptide levels, thereby improving quality of life without requiring separate treatment systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback through automated ICD devices that monitor heart rhythm and arrhythmias in real-time, automatically adjusting therapy delivery based on detected physiological conditions. This feedback mechanism improves symptom management while reducing the need for manual intervention, thereby enhancing patient acceptance despite the invasive nature of the device.
3Reliability
If cardiac pacemakers are used to reverse weight loss and muscle wasting, then patient general condition improves, but treatment cost and accessibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by demonstrating that cardiac pacemakers can reverse weight loss and muscle wasting (cachexia) in non-cardiac patients through their primary mechanism of regulating heartbeats and reducing natriuretic peptide levels. This resolves the contradiction by showing that a single device can address multiple aspects of patient deterioration (symptoms, weight loss, muscle wasting) simultaneously, potentially improving cost-effectiveness despite the high initial device cost.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns the therapy with a cardiac resynchronization device (CRT) and/or therapy with an automated internal cardiac defibrillator (ICD) for treating patients with any cancer or patients with cachexia due to acute or chronic illness other than cardiac illness, including malignant tumor disease, COPD, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, chronic infections, and/or AIDS. Areas of application are the life sciences, in particular medicine and medical technology.