Patent ID: 8700143
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: A61B,A61N,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring for abnormally high fluid levels by an implantable medical device, comprising: the device intermittently measuring a physiological parameter value related to a patient's fluid level; the device calculating a short-term representative value and an associated long-term representative value of the measured physiological parameter values after receipt of one or more of the measured physiological parameter values; the device comparing each short-term representative value and the associated long-term representative value to determine if the short-term representative value indicates abnormal fluid levels, wherein abnormally high fluid levels are indicated responsive to the short-term representative value not being greater than the long-term representative value minus a first predetermined hysteresis value and abnormally low fluid levels indicated responsive to the short-term representative value not being less than the long-term representative value plus a second predetermined hysteresis value; the device cumulatively adding a difference between the short-term representative value and the associated long-term representative value responsive to the short-term representative value not indicating normal fluid levels; the device resetting the cumulative sum responsive to the short-term representative value indicating normal fluid levels; and the device generating a notification in response to the cumulative sum exceeding a predetermined threshold value.