Abstract: An impedance-based respiration monitoring system for apnea detection includes at least three surface electrodes configured to record impedance respiration data from a patient's torso, a signal processing system, and an apnea detection module. The signal processing system is configured to generate a first respiration lead formed by a first set of surface electrodes from the at least three surface electrodes, the first respiration lead providing a first series of impedance measurements, and to generate a second respiration lead formed by a second set of surface electrodes attached to the patient's torso, the second lead providing a second series of impedance measurements. The apnea detection module is executable on a processor to calculate a first apnea metric based on the first series of impedance measurements, and calculate a second apnea metric based on the second series of impedance measurements. An apnea event is then detected based on the first apnea metric and the second apnea metric.

Abstract: An impedance-based respiration monitoring system for apnea detection includes at least three surface electrodes configured to record impedance respiration data from a patient's torso, a signal processing system, and an apnea detection module. The signal processing system is configured to generate a first respiration lead formed by a first set of surface electrodes from the at least three surface electrodes, the first respiration lead providing a first series of impedance measurements, and to generate a second respiration lead formed by a second set of surface electrodes attached to the patient's torso, the second lead providing a second series of impedance measurements. The apnea detection module is executable on a processor to calculate a first apnea metric based on the first series of impedance measurements, and calculate a second apnea metric based on the second series of impedance measurements. An apnea event is then detected based on the first apnea metric and the second apnea metric.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an inflatable member, a sensor and a controller. The inflatable member is configured to apply pressure to a portion of a body of a patient and is configured to be placed in a deflated configuration, a first inflated configuration, and a second inflated configuration. A pressure within the inflatable member when the inflatable member is in the second inflated configuration is greater than a pressure within the inflatable member when the inflatable member is in the first inflated configuration. The sensor is configured to detect vibration. The controller is operatively coupled to the sensor and to the inflatable member. The controller is configured to prevent the inflatable member from being placed in the second inflated configuration in response to the sensor detecting vibrations indicating movement of the body of the patient while the inflatable member is in the first inflated configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a monitor, a blood pressure measuring device, and a controller. The monitor is configured to estimate a blood pressure of a patient. The blood pressure measuring device is configured to measure a blood pressure of the patient. The controller is operatively coupled to the monitor and to the blood pressure measuring device. The controller is configured to cause the blood pressure measuring device to take a first blood pressure measurement of the patient in response to an estimated blood pressure deviating from a baseline. The controller is also configured to cause the blood pressure measuring device to take a second blood pressure measurement of the patient in response to an estimated blood pressure deviating from a second baseline different than the first baseline.

Abstract: An impedance-based respiration monitoring system for apnea detection includes at least three surface electrodes configured to record impedance respiration data from a patient's torso, a signal processing system, and an apnea detection module. The signal processing system is configured to generate a first respiration lead formed by a first set of surface electrodes from the at least three surface electrodes, the first respiration lead providing a first series of impedance measurements, and to generate a second respiration lead formed by a second set of surface electrodes attached to the patient's torso, the second lead providing a second series of impedance measurements. The apnea detection module is executable on a processor to calculate a first apnea metric based on the first series of impedance measurements, and calculate a second apnea metric based on the second series of impedance measurements. An apnea event is then detected based on the first apnea metric and the second apnea metric.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for recording respiratory rate of a subject. The apparatus comprises a first component to be arranged on the subject and away from nostrils of the subject, the first component comprises a battery, optionally electronics for the sensor, and electronics for transmitting respiration rate data; and a second component for being arranged in an area of the nose of the subject, the second component comprising at least one sensor for recording respiratory rate. Disclosed is also a method for recording respiratory rate of a subject with such an apparatus. The method comprises arranging the second component in an area of the nose of the subject; arranging the first component on the subject and no further than 30 centimeters from the second component; recording respiratory rate data with the second component, and sending the respiratory rate data to the first component; and sending the respiratory rate data from the first component to a monitor or a hub.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of the clinical state of a subject. In order to bring about an uncomplicated method for monitoring the clinical state of a subject and for accomplishing a diagnostic scale, such as a nociception scale, on which a certain reading corresponds to the same level for all patients, a normalization transform is applied to a measurement signal containing physiological data obtained from a patient, whereby a normalized measurement signal having a predetermined value range is obtained. The normalization transform is dependent on predetermined history data, such as previous signal data of said measurement signal. A diagnostic index dependent on the normalized measurement signal is then formed, the diagnostic index serving as a measure of the clinical state of the patient. The diagnostic index may be formed based on one or more normalized measurement signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of the clinical stress of a subject. In order to bring about an uncomplicated and cost-effective method for monitoring the stress status of a subject, plethysmographic signal data is acquired from the subject and a first measurement signal is derived, which is indicative of a predetemined feature of the respiration modulation appearing in the said signal data. An index signal is then formed based on the first measurement signal and the index signal is employed as an index indicative of the clinical stress of the subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing the reactivity observable in a certain physiological signal, especially the EEG signal, of a subject. In order to obtain a compact measurement arrangement that enables reliable assessment of changes in the reactivity of the subject even during a long time period, a conventional monitoring device is provided with a stimulation module configured to supply stimuli to the subject through a measurement probe that the device uses to receive physiological signal data from the subject. The measurement probe may comprise, for example, an arm cuff through which the device monitors the blood pressure of the subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing the reactivity observable in a certain physiological signal, especially the EEG signal, of a subject. In order to obtain a compact measurement arrangement that enables reliable assessment of changes in the reactivity of the subject even during a long time period, a conventional monitoring device is provided with a stimulation module configured to supply stimuli to the subject through a measurement probe that the device uses to receive physiological signal data from the subject. The measurement probe may comprise, for example, an arm cuff through which the device monitors the blood pressure of the subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to a patient monitoring device, especially to a pulse oximeter. For suppressing the effects of an interference source causing adverse modulation in one or more blood related signals input to the device, a power spectrum is derived for each blood related signal and the frequency of an interference source causing unwanted modulation in the blood related signal(s) is identified. A weight function is determined, in which the relative weight of at least one frequency is dampened, the at least one frequency depending on the identified frequency. The weight function is applied to the power spectrum(s), thereby to obtain at least one weighted power spectrum. A blood related parameter of the subject is defined based on the at least one weighted power spectrum.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for predicting a sudden heart abnormality for an individual patient. In order to provide a prediction mechanism that is suitable for acute care, three sub-indices are determined based on medical data obtained from the patient. The first sub-index indicates the level of deterministic chaos in the heart rate variability of the patient, the second sub-index indicates the energy level in the myocardium of the patient, and the third sub-index indicates the degree of ventricular arrhythmia of the patient. Based on the first, second, and third sub-indices, at least one overall risk index is then determined, the overall risk index indicating the risk level of a sudden heart abnormality for the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of the clinical stress of a subject. In order to bring about an uncomplicated and cost-effective method for monitoring the stress status of a subject, plethysmographic signal data is acquired from the subject and a first measurement signal is derived, which is indicative of a predetemined feature of the respiration modulation appearing in the said signal data. An index signal is then formed based on the first measurement signal and the index signal is employed as an index indicative of the clinical stress of the subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of the clinical state of a subject. In order to bring about an uncomplicated method for monitoring the clinical state of a subject and for accomplishing a diagnostic scale, such as a nociception scale, on which a certain reading corresponds to the same level for all patients, a normalization transform is applied to a measurement signal containing physiological data obtained from a patient, whereby a normalized measurement signal having a predetermined value range is obtained. The normalization transform is dependent on predetermined history data, such as previous signal data of said measurement signal. A diagnostic index dependent on the normalized measurement signal is then formed, the diagnostic index serving as a measure of the clinical state of the patient. The diagnostic index may be formed based on one or more normalized measurement signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for predicting a sudden heart abnormality for an individual patient. In order to provide a prediction mechanism that is suitable for acute care, three sub-indices are determined based on medical data obtained from the patient. The first sub-index indicates the level of deterministic chaos in the heart rate variability of the patient, the second sub-index indicates the energy level in the myocardium of the patient, and the third sub-index indicates the degree of ventricular arrhythmia of the patient. Based on the first, second, and third sub-indices, at least one overall risk index is then determined, the overall risk index indicating the risk level of a sudden heart abnormality for the patient.