Neurostimulation method and system to treat apnea

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided to deliver a neural stimulation therapy to treat apnea episodes. The methods and systems detect a respiratory pattern of a patient and identify a type associated with the respiratory pattern. A sleep stage is detected that the patient is experiencing and the method and system identify when the sleep stage warrants therapy. When the respiratory pattern corresponds to an apnea episode (AE) and the sleep stage warrants therapy, the methods and systems deliver an apnea episode terminating neuro-stimulation (AET-NS) therapy configured to terminate the AE. A type of AE therapy that is delivered may be based on the sleep stage that was detected. The methods and systems may determine whether the AET-NS therapy successfully terminated the AE, and, if not, adjust the AET-NS therapy and deliver a new AET-NS therapy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to provide a neural stimulation therapy to treat apnea episodes, the method comprising:
 sensing a respiratory pattern of a patient;   detecting a sleep stage corresponding to an apnea episode (AE) that warrants therapy; and   delivering an apnea episode terminating neuro-stimulation (AET-NS) therapy configured to terminate the AE based on the detecting operation;   wherein the sensing, detecting and delivering operations are performed iteratively as the AET-NS therapy is adjusted.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a type of AET-NS therapy that is delivered is based on the sleep stage that was detected. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising incrementally adjusting the AET-NS therapy based on feedback regarding a patient level of arousal in response to the delivery operation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing, detecting and delivering operations are performed iteratively to encourage a select result in the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the AET-NS therapy is configured to stimulate a somatic nervous system associated with voluntary control of body movement. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the AET-NS therapy successfully terminated the AE, adjusting the AET-NS therapy and delivering a new AET-NS therapy when a prior AET-NS therapy was not successful in terminating the AE. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically increasing the AET-NS therapy when the AET-NS therapy does not successfully terminate the AE. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically decreasing the AET-NS therapy when the AET-NS therapy causes excessive paresthesia that wakes up the patient. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the AET-NS therapy caused paresthesia sufficient to end the AE, but does not wake up the patient; and adjusting the AET-NS therapy based on whether the AET-NS therapy ended the AE and whether the AET-NS therapy woke up the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an external device with a user input configured to permit the patient or a physician to increase or decrease the AET-NS therapy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising downloading from an NS device to an external device at least one of a number of AE occurring in a select period of time, a duration of at least one AE, a number of times that the AET-NS therapy is delivered, a count of a success rate of the AET-NS therapy, and a history of the sleep stages in which the AET-NS therapy was delivered. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting at least one of an AE history information, AET-NS therapy history information or termination results to a patient or physician and permitting the patient or physician to adjust the AET-NS therapy based on the at least one of an AE history information, AET-NS therapy history information or termination results. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising iteratively adjusting the AET-NS therapy in order to determine a select AET-NS therapy that induces a sufficient level of paresthesia to terminate the AE without fully awakening the patient.