Patent ID: 6699230
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: A61J,A61M

Abstract:
A method for providing out-of-hospital thrombolytic therapy for substantially preventing the death of a patient's myocardium and early dissolution of a coronary thrombus subsequent to a heart attack, said method comprising:providing a portable system including: a library of medication in liquid or lyophilized form including a thrombolytic agent, adjuvant drugs for supportive care during a heart attack and a diluent for reconstitution of drugs; an intravenous needle providing an access to a patient's circulatory system; a battery operated infusion pump with a set of conduits, on-off and multi-port valves fluidly communicable with the intravenous needle, a source of a diluent, and vials with drugs in the library; a battery operated micro cooler adapted for keeping the medication library at reduced temperatures for preservation of their potency over a several year period; a microprocessor based control unit with a stored set of programs, designed to control operation of the infusion pump and valves to provide priming, drug reconstitution, and preprogrammed intravenous infusion of the thrombolytic agent and supportive drugs; maintaining the system in stand by state continuously until it is needed; activating the system within thirty minutes after onset of the symptoms of a heart attack; gaining an intravenous access to the patient's circulatory system by puncturing a vein with the intravenous needle provided with the system; and starting treatment by infusing the thrombolytic agent and adjuvant drugs within thirty minutes after onset of the symptoms of a heart attack.