Patent ID: 7473227
Filing Date: 2009-01-06
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A medical device for implantation in a body, comprising: a stimulation unit which is adapted to produce an electrical stimulation pulse in dependence on an apnea therapy signal, a sleep detector unit having at least one signal input, which is adapted to detect a sleep condition of the body in dependence on at least one input signal and to produce a sleep signal which corresponds to a sleep detection event, an apnea detector unit which is adapted to detect sleep apnea in dependence on at least one body signal caused by the body and to produce an apnea signal which corresponds to an apnea detection event, a therapy unit which is at least indirectly connected to the stimulation unit, the sleep detector unit and to the apnea detector unit and which is adapted to produce, in dependence on the apnea signal and the sleep signal, at least one apnea therapy signal which represents therapy information for preventing and/or for the treatment of sleep apnea, and to send same to the stimulation unit, wherein the medical device has a position sensor which is operatively connected to the signal input of the sleep detector unit and adapted in dependence on its inclination about at least one spatial axis extending through the position sensor in relation to the horizontal to alter at least one of its electrical properties, and wherein the therapy unit is adapted to produce an apnea therapy signal in the form of an increase in the stimulation rate of 10 beats per minute by increasing the stimulation rate by one beat per minute over 10 minutes, thereby providing an apnea therapy signal that reduces a disturbance in sleep in a patient in which the device is implanted.