Wearable Opioid Overdose Detection and Naloxone Injection Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current naloxone delivery methods for opioid overdose do not provide continuous monitoring of patients and require the presence of a conscious bystander for administration, limiting their effectiveness in preventing opioid-related morbidity and mortality.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device that continuously monitors vital signs such as respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure, and automatically administers naloxone upon detecting overdose thresholds, with optional abort mechanisms and GPS location transmission for emergency services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If naloxone is administered by intranasal route or intramuscular injection with audio instructions, then the medication can be delivered to opioid users, but the method requires the presence of a conscious and caring bystander and cannot be administered to oneself during an overdose
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables self-administration of naloxone through automatic detection of overdose conditions via physiological sensors and automated injection mechanism, eliminating the need for a bystander to administer the medication manually
2Loss of time
If naloxone delivery methods are used without continuous monitoring, then the medication can be administered, but the incidence of overdose cannot be detected relatively early
Solution Approach 1:
The device continuously monitors physiological parameters in advance to detect early signs of overdose before the condition becomes critical, enabling timely intervention and reducing loss of time
3Measurement precision
If multiple physiological parameters are monitored with multiple sensors, then the accuracy of overdose detection is improved and false positives are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple physiological sensors and monitoring functions into a single integrated wearable unit, achieving high measurement precision through multiple parameters while managing device complexity through unified design
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting the need for providing assistance to an individual suspected of overdosing on an opiate is provided. The method includes using a wearable device for continuous or intermittent monitoring of one or more physiological parameters of the individual. If the level of one of the one or more physiological parameters exceeds a threshold level specific to that parameter, an alarm is triggered. If the alarm is not aborted, an alert is transmitted to one or more emergency contacts conveying that the individual has overdosed. The method optionally provides for injection of an opioid receptor antagonist into the individual to reverse the effects of the overdose. Also provided is a device for implementing these methods.