System and method for detecting ventilatory depression and for prompting a patient to breathe

Abstract

A system and method for prompting a patient experiencing ventilatory depression to breathe includes at least one sensor for detecting ventilatory depression by detecting inadequate breathing or lack of breathing in the patient. The system also includes one or more sensors for determining the type of breathing problem experienced by the patient. A sensor for detecting motion of the patient is used to determine whether the patient is moving. If inadequate or a lack of breathing is detected and the patient is not moving, the system provides verbal prompts or tactile stimuli to prompt the patient to breathe to improve patient ventilation.

1 . A system for prompting a patient experiencing ventilatory depression to breathe, comprising:
 at least one breath sensor configured to attach to a patient, detect breathing of a patient and generating breath sensor data indicative of the patient's breathing;   a breath prompting protocol system, activated if the breath sensor data indicates that the patient is not sufficiently breathing, the breath prompting protocol system configured to:
 generate an audible prompt for the patient to breath, the audible prompt being in the form of a recorded voice instructing the patient to breathe, 
 determine from the breath sensor data if the patient responded to the audible prompt by the at least one breath sensor detecting that the patient took at least one breath in response to the audible prompt, and 
 repeat the audible prompt if the at least one breath sensor fails to detect that the patient took a breath in response to the audible prompt; and 
 increase a sound level of the audible prompt if the at least one breath sensor fails to detect that the patient took a breath in response to at least one audible prompt. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one breath sensor is configured to measure at least one of intranasal pressure, intraoral pressure, mouth expiration pressure, expired CO2, changes in airway humidity, temperature at the mouth or nostrils, sound or vibration at the nose, mouth or larynx, photoplethysmography, radio frequency, Wi-Fi modulation or chest impedance. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motion sensor to detect movement of at least one body part of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one motion sensor comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the breath prompting protocol system disregards the breath sensor data if the at least one motion sensor detects that the patient is moving. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the breath prompting protocol system increases a sound level of the audible prompt if the breath sensor data indicates inadequate breathing after the audible prompt. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a tactile stimulator coupled to the patient, the breath prompting protocol system activating the tactile stimulator and the audible prompt at the increased sound level if the breath sensor data indicates inadequate breathing after the audible prompt alone at the increased sound level. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising an electrical stimulator coupled to the patient, the breath prompting protocol system activating the electrical stimulator and the audible prompt at the increased sound level if the breath sensor data indicates inadequate breathing after generating the audible prompt at the increased sound level and activation of the tactile stimulator to the patient. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a SpO2 sensor for detecting a SpO2 level of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the breath prompting protocol system maintains a level of prompting if the SpO2 level of the patient is adequate but the patient is not adequately responding to the audible prompt or tactile stimulation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the breath prompting protocol system stops audible prompts if the breath sensor data indicates that the patient is spontaneously breathing. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the prompting protocol system increases a level of prompting if the SpO2 level drops below a predetermined level. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined level of the SpO2 is approximately 85% for at least 10 seconds. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alert system for alerting a care provider in the event that the prompting protocol system is unsuccessful in prompting the patient to breathe after a predetermined number of audible prompts. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a breathing assessment system configured to determine a ventilation problem type of the patient from the breath sensor data if the breath sensor data indicates that the patient is not adequately breathing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the breathing assessment system is configured to determine if the ventilation problem is at least one of central apnea, partial airway obstruction, complete airway apnea, ventilatory depression or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a monitor configured to display the ventilation problem, breath sensor data and breath prompting protocol status. 
     
     
         18 . A system for prompting a patient experiencing ventilatory depression to breathe, comprising:
 at least one breath sensor configured to attach to a patient and configured for detecting ventilatory depression of the patient;   at least one motion sensor configured to attach to a patient and configured for detecting movement of the patient to detect whether the patient may be unconscious; and   a computer-based monitoring system having a processor receiving signals from the at least one breath sensor and the at least one motion sensor to determine whether the patient is experiencing ventilatory depression; and   a breath prompting system configured to provide verbal prompting to the patient in increasing intensity of the verbal prompting if the patient is experiencing ventilatory depression to attempt to improve patient ventilation, the breath prompting system configured to not provide verbal prompting to the patient if the at least one motion sensor detects that the patient is moving.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the monitoring system utilizes data from the at least one breath sensor to determine a ventilation problem type of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the monitoring system is configured to determine the ventilation problem from the group consisting of central apnea, partial airway obstruction, complete airway apnea, ventilatory depression or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the monitoring system is configured to determine a level of prompting required to achieve a breath response of the patient. 
     
     
         23 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A system for prompting a patient experiencing ventilatory depression to breathe, comprising:
 a breath sensor for detecting inadequate breathing or lack of breathing in a patient by measuring a plurality of conditions of the patient that indicate whether the patient is spontaneously breathing;   a motion sensor for detecting a motion of the patient by a motion sensor;   a monitoring system configured to:
 determine whether the patient is experiencing ventilatory depression based on a detection of breathing and the detection motion of the patient; 
 determine and display the type of ventilation problem being experienced by the patient in real time if the patient is not adequately ventilated; and 
 provide audible or tactile prompting to encourage the patient to breathe if the patient is experiencing ventilatory depression. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the ventilation problem type of the patient is at least one of central apnea, partial airway obstruction, complete airway apnea, ventilatory depression or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the monitoring system is configured to alert a care giver of the ventilation problem type of the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the monitoring system increases a level of the audible or tactile prompting if the patient does not begin to spontaneously breathe after receiving the audible or tactile prompting. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the monitoring system maintains a level of the audible or tactile prompting if the patient does not begin to spontaneously breathe after receiving the audible or tactile prompting but if SpO2 levels are above an acceptable level. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the monitoring system stops the audible or tactile prompting if the monitoring system detects breathing or motion of the patient. 
     
     
         35 . The system of claim of  claim 18 , further comprising a tactile prompting system configured to provide tactile prompting to the patient in increasing intensity of the tactile prompting if the patient is experiencing ventilatory depression to attempt to improve patient ventilation, the tactile prompting system configured to not provide tactile prompting to the patient if the at least one motion sensor detects that the patient is moving.