Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) causing patient's QRS width to be plotted against the heart rate
A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system includes a support structure that the patient may wear, and one or more sensors that may acquire patient physiological signals, such as ECG and others. A processor of the WCD system may determine diagnostics from the patient physiological signals. These diagnostics include a six-second ECG portion, heart rates as histograms, heart rates against QRS width, heart rate trends, clinical event counters, diagnostics relating to heart rate variability and about the atrial arrhythmia burden of the patient. In some embodiments, the WCD system includes a user interface with a screen that displays these diagnostics. In some embodiments, the WCD system exports these diagnostics for viewing by a different screen. When viewed, these diagnostics permit more detailed analysis of the state of the patient.
1. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system, comprising:
a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;
a power source;
an energy storage module configured to receive an electric charge from the power source, and to store the received electric charge;
a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module, wherein the discharge circuit is controllable to discharge the electric charge stored in the energy storage module;
a trigger configured to be actuated for preventing the discharge of the electric charge stored in the energy storage module;
one or more sensors coupled to the support structure and configured to acquire physiological signals while the support structure is worn by the patient, wherein at least one first sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) data of the patient;
a processor configured to:
determine, from the physiological signals, whether the patient suffered an atrial arrhythmia during an aggregation period;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered the atrial arrhythmia during the aggregation period, further determine a time value of a suffering duration within the aggregation period during which the patient suffered;
determine heart rate values during the aggregation period;
determine an activity of the patient during the aggregation period using data acquired through at least one second sensor of the one or more sensors; and
determine a total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the aggregation period;
a user interface that includes a screen configured to display:
an indication for the determined time value of the suffering duration, the heart rate values, the activity of the patient using a common time frame, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated to correlate the heart rate values, the activity of the patient, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the determined time value of the suffering duration; and
a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store different portions of the ECG data as one or more data files, each data file of the one or more data files including a time stamp,
wherein the user interface is further configured to display one of the one or more data files.
2. The WCD system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation period is one day.
3. The WCD system of claim 1 , wherein the determined time value of the indication is interpreted by a vertical axis.
4. The WCD system of claim 1 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to:
determine whether the patient suffered for a time interval that lasts the aggregation period and one or more additional aggregation periods; and
in response to a determination that the patient suffered for the time interval that lasts the aggregation period and the one or more additional aggregation periods, further determine, for the one or more additional aggregation periods, respective additional time values of respective additional suffering durations during which the patient suffered; and
the screen is further configured to display, along a horizontal direction, a trend diagram of respective additional indications for the determined respective additional time values for the time interval.
5. The WCD system of claim 4 , wherein the determined respective additional time values of the respective additional indications are interpreted by a vertical axis.
6. The WCD system of claim 4 , wherein indicators for at least two dates are further displayed along the horizontal direction.
7. The WCD system of claim 1 , wherein the screen is configured to display while the patient is wearing the support structure, and has been continuously wearing the support structure since acquisition of the physiological signals.
8. The WCD system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to be coupled to the support structure.
9. A method for using a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system including a support structure, a power source, an energy storage module, a discharge circuit, one or more sensors, a memory, a processor, a trigger, and a user interface that includes a screen, the method comprising:
acquiring, by the one or more sensors, physiological signals while a patient is wearing the support structure, wherein at least one first sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) data of the patient;
determining, from the physiological signals, whether the patient suffered an atrial arrhythmia during an aggregation period;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered the atrial arrhythmia during the aggregation period, determining a time value of a suffering duration within the aggregation period during which the patient suffered;
determining, from the physiological signals, heart rate values during the aggregation period;
determining an activity of the patient during the aggregation period using data acquired through at least one second sensor of the one or more sensors;
determining a total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the aggregation period;
displaying an indication for the determined time value of the suffering duration, the heart rate values, the activity of the patient using a common time frame, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated to correlate the heart rate values, the activity of the patient, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the determined time value of the suffering duration;
storing different portions of the ECG data as one or more data files, each data file of the one or more data files including a time stamp;
displaying the one or more data files;
receiving, by the energy storage module, an electric charge from the power source, and storing the received electric charge; and
discharging, by the discharge circuit, the electric charge stored in the energy storage module while the support structure is worn by the patient.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the screen displays while the patient is wearing the support structure, and has been continuously wearing the support structure since the acquisition of the physiological signals.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the aggregation period is one day.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determined time value of the indication is interpreted by a vertical axis.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining whether the patient suffered for a time interval that lasts the aggregation period and one or more additional aggregation periods;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered for the time interval that lasts the aggregation period and the one or more additional aggregation periods, determining, for the one or more additional aggregation periods, respective additional time values of respective additional suffering durations during which the patient suffered; and
displaying, along a horizontal direction, a trend diagram of respective additional indications for the determined respective additional time values for the time interval.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the determined respective additional time values of the respective additional indications are interpreted by a vertical axis.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein indicators for at least two dates are further displayed along the horizontal direction.
16. In combination, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system and a remote computer, the WCD system comprising:
a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;
a power source;
an energy storage module configured to receive an electric charge from the power source, and to store the received electric charge;
a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module, wherein the discharge circuit is controllable to discharge the electric charge stored in the energy storage module while the support structure is worn by the patient;
a trigger configured to be actuated for preventing the discharge of the electric charge stored in the energy storage module;
one or more sensors coupled to the support structure, and configured to acquire physiological signals, wherein at least one first sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) data of the patient;
a local processor;
a local memory communicatively coupled to the local processor, wherein the local memory stores processor-executable local operations which, upon execution, cause the local processor to:
determine, from the physiological signals, whether the patient suffered an atrial arrhythmia during an aggregation period;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered the atrial arrhythmia during the aggregation period, further determine a time value of a suffering duration within the aggregation period during which the patient suffered;
determine heart rate values during the aggregation period;
determine an activity of the patient during the aggregation period using data acquired through at least one second sensor of the one or more sensors; and
determine a total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the aggregation period,
wherein the local memory is configured to store data resulting from outcomes of the processor-executable local operations; and
a local communication module configured to transmit the data stored in the local memory via a communications link, wherein the remote computer comprises:
a remote communication module configured to receive, from the communications link, the transmitted data; and
a remote screen configured to display an indication for the determined time value of the suffering duration, the heart rate values, the activity of the patient using a common time frame, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated to correlate the heart rate values, the activity of the patient, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the determined time value of the suffering duration,
wherein the local memory is further configured to store different portions of the ECG data as one or more data files, each data file of the one or more data files including a time stamp, and wherein the remote screen is further configured to display the one or more data files.
17. The combination of claim 16 , wherein the aggregation period is one day.
18. The combination of claim 16 , wherein the determined time value of the indication is interpreted by a vertical axis.
19. The combination of claim 16 , wherein:
the local processor is further configured to:
determine whether the patient suffered for a time interval that lasts the aggregation period and one or more additional aggregation periods; and
in response to a determination that the patient suffered for the time interval that lasts the aggregation period and the one or more additional aggregation periods, further determine, for the one or more additional aggregation periods, respective additional time values of respective additional suffering durations during which the patient suffered; and
the remote screen is further configured to display, along a horizontal direction, a trend diagram of respective additional indications for the determined respective additional time values for the time interval.
20. The combination of claim 19 , wherein the determined respective additional time values of the respective additional indications are interpreted by a vertical axis.
21. The combination of claim 19 , wherein indicators for at least two associated dates are further displayed along the horizontal direction.
22. In combination, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system and a remote computer, the WCD system comprising:
a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;
a power source;
an energy storage module configured to receive an electric charge from the power source, and to store the received electric charge;
a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module, wherein the discharge circuit is controllable to discharge the electric charge stored in the energy storage module while the support structure is worn by the patient;
a trigger configured to be actuated for preventing the discharge of the electric charge stored in the energy storage module;
one or more sensors coupled to the support structure and configured to acquire patient physiological signals, wherein at least one first sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) data of the patient;
a local processor;
a local memory communicatively coupled to the local processor, wherein the local memory stores processor-executable local operations which, upon execution, cause the local processor to perform at least one of:
determine, from the physiological signals, whether the patient suffered an atrial arrhythmia during an aggregation period;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered the atrial arrhythmia during the aggregation period, further determine a time value of a suffering duration within the aggregation period during which the patient suffered,
determine, from the physiological signals, heart rate values during the aggregation period;
determine an activity of the patient during the aggregation period using data acquired through at least one second sensor of the one or more sensors; and
determine a total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the aggregation period,
wherein the local memory is configured to store data resulting from outcomes of the processor-executable local operations; and
a local communication module configured to transmit the data stored in the local memory via a communications link, wherein the remote computer comprises:
a remote communication module configured to receive, from the communications link, the transmitted data;
a remote processor;
a remote memory communicatively coupled to the remote processor, wherein the remote memory is configured to store the transmitted data, and wherein the remote memory further stores processor-executable remote operations which, upon execution, cause the remote processor to perform at least one of:
determine, from the physiological signals, whether the patient suffered an atrial arrhythmia during an aggregation period;
in response to a determination that the patient suffered the atrial arrhythmia during the aggregation period, further determine a time value of a suffering duration within the aggregation period during which the patient suffered;
determine, from the physiological signals, heart rate values during the aggregation period;
determine an activity of the patient during the aggregation period using data acquired through at least one second sensor of the one or more sensors; and
determine a total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the aggregation period; and
a remote screen configured to display an indication for the determined time value of the suffering duration, the heart rate values, the activity of the patient using a common time frame, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated to correlate the heart rate values, the activity of the patient, and the total number of times that the trigger is actuated during the determined time value of the suffering duration,
wherein the local memory is further configured to store different portions of the ECG data as one or more data files, each data file of the one or more data files including a time stamp, and wherein the remote screen is further configured to display the one or more data files.
23. The combination of claim 22 , wherein the aggregation period is one day.
24. The combination of claim 22 , wherein the determined time value of the indication is interpreted by a vertical axis.
25. The combination of claim 22 , wherein:
the local processor is further configured to:
determine whether the patient suffered for a time interval that lasts the aggregation period and one or more additional aggregation periods; and
in response to a determination that the patient suffered for the time interval that lasts the aggregation period and the one or more additional aggregation periods, further determine, for the one or more additional aggregation periods, respective additional time values of respective additional suffering durations during which the patient suffered; and
the remote screen is further configured to display, along a horizontal direction, a trend diagram of respective additional indications for the determined respective additional time values for the time interval.
26. The combination of claim 25 , wherein the determined respective additional time values of the respective additional indications are interpreted by a vertical axis.
27. The combination of claim 25 , wherein indicators for at least two dates are further displayed along the horizontal direction.