Method and Apparatus For Maintaining and Monitoring Sleep Quality During Drug Delivery

Abstract

The present invention monitors and interprets physiological signals and spontaneous breathing events to detect the onset of arousal. Once the onset of arousal is determined, the present invention determines adjustments that are needed in the operation of a therapeutic device to avoid or minimize arousals. In one embodiment, the present invention includes one or more sensors which detect a patient's physiological parameters, a controller which monitors and determines the onset of arousal based on the physiological variables received from the sensor, and a therapeutic treatment device which is controlled by the controller. The sensor can be a combination of one or more devices which are able to monitor a physiological parameter that is used by the present invention to determine the onset of arousal or the onset of a sleep disorder. The sensors can be integrated into one unit or may operate independent of the others.

1 . A drug delivery apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of sensors;   a drug delivery device having an adjustable drug delivery level; and   a controller in communication with the sensors and the drug delivery device, the controller adapted to adjust the drug delivery level based on a patient's sleep state.   
     
     
         2 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include EEG sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include EMG sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include ECG sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the sensors further include an SpO 2  sensor and wherein the controller is adapted to calculate PTT. 
     
     
         6 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include oxygen sensors. 
     
     
         7 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include temperature sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include air pressure sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include airflow sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include EOG sensors. 
     
     
         11 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include body position sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include carbon dioxide sensors. 
     
     
         13 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include blood pressure sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include infrared video monitoring sensors. 
     
     
         15 . The drug delivery apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors include audio sensors which monitor breathing sounds.