Patent ID: 6402732
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A method for providing a self-regulating voltage and current to an iontophoretic drug delivery device of an iontophoresis system to minimize the use of power by the system, the iontophoretic drug delivery device being placeable on the skin of a patient and including a first electrode and a second electrode, the method comprising the steps of:generating a voltage V2 provided to the first electrode; generating a desired drug delivery current to flow through the first and second electrodes and the skin of a patient, the desired drug delivery current being generated by a current regulator circuit having a voltage drop Vs thereacross, the impedance of at least one of the iontophoretic drug delivery device and the patient's skin and the desired drug delivery current flowing therethrough resulting in a voltage drop Vp across the first and second electrodes, the voltage V2 being equal to the sum of the voltage Vp and the voltage Vs; adjusting the voltage V2 in response to a change in the voltage drop Vp across the first and second electrodes so that voltage drop Vs is maintained at a minimum voltage level required to allow the current regulator circuit to control the desired drug delivery current through the at least first and second electrodes and the skin of the patient and to minimize the use of power by the iontophoresis system.