Abstract:
A method and apparatus for treating a mammal or other living organism having a heart and a peripheral vascular system to achieve a heart load reduction, said organism having a pulse rate and a systolic pressure resulting from the action of the heart, the method and apparatus involving the steps of measuring the heart rhythm, producing pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system by a non-invasive or invasive method in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the counterpulsation mode and varying at least one parameter of an input system generating said pressure pulsations to produce an optimized reduction in at least one of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure and hereby a net reduction in said heart load, said heart load being a function of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure.

Description:
A method of treating a living organism to achieve a heart load reduction, and apparatus for carrying out the method. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal or other living organism having a heart and a peripheral vascular system, in particular a human being to achieve a heart load reduction and a whole variety of other treatments and associated benefits as well as to an apparatus for carrying out the method. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     To assist an understanding of the invention it is first necessary to consider the working of the human heart and the known prior art in this field. 
     The condition of the human heart is frequently measured by means of an electrocardiogram, the typical output trace that is obtained can, for example, be seen from FIG.  1 . An electrocardiogram is basically a record of the sequence of electrical waves generated at each heart beat and the different peaks of the typical electrocardiogram are usually designated by the letters P, Q, R, S and T. The so-called R-R path, i.e. the time between two R peaks represents one cycle of the heart and normally amounts to about 1 second. 
     Of particular interest is not only the R-R path which corresponds to the frequency of the heart or the pulse rate, but rather also the Q-T path which reproduces the working performance of the heart, called the systole. The remainder of the path equivalent to R-R minus Q-T. i.e. T-Q effectively represents the recovery time of the heart in each heart beat, called the diastole. The operation of the human heart is discussed later in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  1 C. 
     Cardiologists frequently refer to the concept of the heart load which is proportional to the heart pulse rate, i.e. the frequency of R-R waves measured in heart beats per minute, multiplied by the systolic blood pressure as measured in millimeters of mercury. 
     Many treatments have been proposed and used in the prior art which affect the cardiovascular system of human beings. Well known amongst such systems are electrophysiological methods and apparatus which, for example, use electrical stimulation to produce muscle contractions which result in working and training of the muscles. The contractions and elongations caused by electrical stimulation improve the blood flow through the muscles and improve the muscle quality without effort on the part of the patient being treated. 
     Electrophysiological interactions with living bodies in general, and human beings in particular, can be classified into two main groups, namely asynchronous and cardiosynchronized electrophysiological interactions. 
     Asynchronous electrophysiological methods and apparatus operate using electrostimulation in which the stimulation is timed in accordance with some externally imposed rhythm, but this timing is not synchronized with the heart pulse rate. Known examples of asynchronous electrophysiological methods and apparatus include: 
     neurostimulation and neuromuscular and direct muscular stimulation by electrostimulators, with equipment being available from Medicompex SA, Valmed SA, Nemectron GmbH, and EMPI Inc. among others, 
     the use of electrostimulation for the therapy of pain, with equipment being available from Medtronic Inc. among others, 
     electrostimulation for active tremor control therapy, for which Medtronic Inc. among others supplies equipment and 
     electrostimulation for urinary control, again with apparatus being offered by, for example, Medtronic Inc., such as that company&#39;s Interstim product. 
     All the above asynchronous stimulation methods certainly bring benefits to the areas being treated, but result in an increase of the heart load when compared to a normal situation, i.e. without electrostimulation. This heart loading is even known to include an inherent risk of producing arrhythmia or heart problems, when the electrostimulation is applied near the heart on the chest muscle and especially on the left hemithorax. 
     A useful summary of electrical stimulation therapy is to be found on pages 3 and 4 of the “Users Manual” produced by Valmed SA in relation to their Microstim (registered trade mark), neuromuscular stimulator P4 Physio Model, issue November 1996. 
     The other basic category of electrophysiological techniques, namely cardiosynchronized electrophysiological methods and apparatus, comprise methods by which the heart pulse rate is predetermined by means of a sensor and stimulation is delivered in a rhythm at any time within the heart pulse rate and is synchronized with the heart pulse rate. 
     Such cardiosynchronized methods and apparatus can be subdivided into two classes, namely the simpulsation mode and the counterpulsation mode. 
     In the simpulsation mode of a cardiosynchronized electrostimulation of muscles the electric impulses are synchronized with the heart pulse rate so that the heart and the stimulated muscle are contracting at the same time, i.e. in systole phase the heart is contracting and the stimulated muscle is contracting. In the diastole phase the heart is relaxing and the muscle is relaxing. 
     In the counterpulsation mode of a cardiosynchronized electrostimulation of muscles the electric impulses are timed in such a way relative to the heart pulse rate, that the heart and the stimulated muscle are contracting in opposition to each other, i.e. in the systole phase the heart is contracting and the stimulated muscle is relaxing, in the diastole phase the heart is relaxing and the stimulated muscle is contracting. 
     Known examples of such cardiosynchronized electrophysiological methods/equipment include: 
     Cardiosynchronized pacemakers, anti-tachycardia pacemakers and defibrillators, which are, for example, again available from Medtronic Inc., 
     Cardiomyostimulators, also available from Medtronic Inc., Intra-aortal balloon counterpulsation methods and apparatus, 
     Cardiomyoplasty surgery for heart muscle conglomerates assisted by cardiosynchronized electrostimulation, 
     External aorta counterpulsation method in which the aorta is bound by a musculo-aponeurotical graft, with its free end bissected to mobilize a sector of the aorta, as disclosed in the patent, SU 1509045 A and in the English language paper by L. V. Lapanashvili, entitled “Automuscolar System of Assisted Circulation for Surgical Correction of Cardiac Failure”, published in “Il Cuore”, Rivista di Cardiochirurgia e Cardiologia, Vol. IX, n. 1 January/February 1992, pages 5 to 27. 
     Pacemakers and defibrillators are well known and are inserted into the patient&#39;s body by a surgical operation. They also require replacement at regular intervals. This class of device is therefore an invasive surgical technique and indeed stimulates the heart muscles directly and does not act on the peripheral vascular system. 
     A cardiomyostimulator operates by taking a signal from the heart and using it to stimulate another muscle in synchronism with the heart beat. 
     The surgical technique used in conjunction with a cardiomyostimulator is referred to as cardiomyoplasty and is, for example, described in the book “Transformed Muscle for Cardiac Assist and Repair” edited by Ray C. J. Chiu, Ivan M. Bourgeois, Bakken Research Center Series, Volume 2, Chapter 21, pages 231 to 233. 
     The cardiomyoplasty procedure consists of wrapping a skeletal muscle around the heart and stimulating this wrapped around muscle in a manner synchronized with the heart contractions, i.e. in the simpulsation mode, thereby forming a heart muscle conglomerate which assists the heart pumping function. By way of example a cardiomyostimulator supplied by Medtronic Inc., as model SP1005, is a two-channel system consisting of a cardiac pacemaker channel and a myostimulation channel coordinated by a synchronization circuit. The cardiac pacemaker consists of a sensing amplifier, which monitors the intrinsic heart rate and an output stage, which paces the heart as soon as the heart rate drops below a programmed value. A cardiac event can be sensed or initiated by the device, as in a synchronized pacemaker, but furthermore it also triggers the synchronization circuit. The trigger signals are processed through a programmable divider, which allows for different heart/wrapped around muscle contraction ratios within the heart muscle conglomerate. A delay is then initiated after which the myostimulator is enabled. This sends a burst of impulses, beginning typically at the end of the R-wave and ending typically at the end of the T-wave, to the wrapped around muscle via a pair of muscular pacing leads resulting in the heart muscle conglomerate contracting in the simpulsation mode. As the name implies, cardiomyoplasty surgery is used to improve heart muscle conglomerates and is also an invasive method. 
     The intra-aortal balloon counterpulsation is a high-risk, complicated invasive surgical technique which is only used with terminally ill patients. It involves the insertion of a balloon into the aorta which is pumped up and evacuated in accordance with the heart rhythm so that, when inflated, the balloon generates a back-pressure wave improving blood flow through the coronary blood vessels and thus increasing the oxygen supply to the heart and hopefully improving its condition. 
     The external aorta counterpulsation process is also a form of myoplasty surgery and uses cardiosynchronized electrostimulation of skeletal muscles wrapped around the aorta and, when operated in the counterpulsation mode, results in an increase of coronary blood circulation in the diastolic phase, with a consequential decrease of the heart load. The above mentioned paper by Lapanashvili L. V. in “Il Cuore”, reports on a 28% increase of coronary blood circulation. However, it will be understood that this is a serious invasive surgical operation only used in critical cases and therefore of limited application. 
     All of the above cardiosynchronized electrophysiological methods which use stimulation in the simpulsation mode do not result in a significant change of the heart load when compared with the heart load of the same person without stimulation. The counterpulsation methods hitherto described all involve invasive surgery. There are, however, some further counterpulsation methods referred to in the literature which are essentially non-invasive and these are based on so-called pneumatic boot therapies. 
     Such pneumatic boots or compression boots, for example the boot made by the Circulator Boot Corporation, do not use electrostimulation, but instead apply pressure pulsations pneumatically to the lower leg of the patient. More specifically this equipment applies pneumatic compression to the patient&#39;s lower leg and this application of pressure is synchronized with the heart rhythm. The Circular Boot product is known to be a non-invasive cardiosynchronized pneumatic compression boot which pneumatically compresses chosen portions of body extremities, for example the lower leg, in either the simpulsation or counterpulsation mode. In the latter mode the Circulator Boot is timed to release the leg in anticipation of the cardiac systole and the primary intention is to improve arterial flow in the leg. 
     Indications for which the Circulator Boot can provide treatment are poor arterial flow in the leg, diabetes, arterial insufficiencies, venous diseases, lymphedema, etc. 
     It is stated by the manufacturers, on their home page as of Jun. 29, 1999, that Circulator Boot therapy increases stroke volume by decreasing afterload while at the same time decreasing heart work and maintaining or increasing coronary perfusion. The fact that the Circulator Boot has some effect on the heart can be seen from the statements on the cited home page, where it is, for example, stated that “anecdotal measurements providing evidence for cardiac benefit have included: reduction of the loudness of mitral insufficiency murmurs; widening of the peripheral pulse tracing with leg pumping during systole; narrowing of the tracing with end-diastolic pumping; raising the dicrotic notch with systolic pumping and lowering it with end-diastolic pumping and, in patients with a Swann-Ganz catheter in place, lowering wedge pressure and increasing cardiac output”. 
     Finally, reference is made to the Georgian patent 366 of the present inventor L. V. Lapanashvili which describes the stimulation of muscles in a non-invasive external technique in the simpulsation and counterpulsation mode. This document discusses stimulation of muscles on the chest, near the heart, in the simpulsation mode and states that “it unloads the heart and enables even chest muscles located near the heart to be stimulated”. Thus, here, heart unloading has been achieved by stimulating the chest muscle in the simpulsation mode. The patent states that the regime of counterpulsation is most often used, but when electrodes are placed on the chest, i.e. near the heart, the regime of simpulsation is used. 
     OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A principal object of the present invention is to provide an almost universally applicable method and apparatus by which a substantial degree of heart unloading can be achieved by appropriate non-invasive or invasive stimulation of the patient which can be applied without practical time limitation and in particular without any restrictions of the muscles to be stimulated, with the exception of the heart muscle itself. 
     Moreover it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which is entirely harmless and which can be used not only for the prevention and rehabilitation of coronary infarct and heart insufficiency, but also for neuromuscular or direct muscle stimulation, resulting in visible or non-visible muscle contractions, for muscle power or endurance development, body shaping, lypolysis treatment and the like. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus capable of use for neuro- neuromusclar or direct muscular anti-pain stimulation including trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (frequently called TENS) as well as for many other applications of aesthetic and curative medicine. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to satisfy this object there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of treating a mammal or other living organism having a heart and a peripheral vascular system, in particular a mammal, and especially a human being, to achieve a heart load reduction, said organism having a pulse rate and a systolic pressure resulting from the action of the heart, the method comprising the steps of: 
     measuring the heart rhythm, 
     producing pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system by a non-invasive method in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the counterpulsation mode and 
     varying at least one parameter of said pressure pulsations to produce an optimized reduction of at least one of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure and hereby a net reduction in said heart load, said heart load being a function of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure. 
     A corresponding apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for measuring the heart rhythm, means for producing pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system by a non-invasive or invasive method in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the counterpulsation mode and means for varying at least one parameter of such pressure pulsations to produce an optimized reduction of at least one of said pulse rate and said systolic pressure and hereby a net reduction in said heart load. 
     The invention is based on the wholly surprising discovery that it is possible, by optimizing the pressure pulsations produced in the peripheral vascular system of a patient by a non-invasive method in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the counterpulsation mode, to secure an optimized reduction in the patient&#39;s pulse rate and hereby a significant, and indeed highly significant, net reduction in the heart load. This is a particularly surprising discovery because it is not at all evident that a totally non-invasive stimulation of, for example, a leg muscle, on only one of the many peripheral branches of the cardiovascular tree would ever be able to increase coronary blood flow and reduce heart load by a significant amount. Indeed it is totally surprising that the degree of reduction of the heart load achieved in tests is similar to that achieved by the risky, fully invasive, extra-aortal muscular flap wrapped around the aorta assisted by electrostimulation. It will be appreciated that these latter techniques act directly at a location on the aorta, the main trunk of the cardiovascular tree, whereas the invention acts externally on just one of many branches of the peripheral vascular system. 
     More specifically it has been found that, by correctly setting the pressure pulsations for the individual patient, a type of resonant phenomena arises which can be exploited, so that a small perturbation of the peripheral vascular system leads to an optimized reduction in the pulse rate and through this a net reduction in the heart load. It is particularly favorable that the reduction in the pulse rate is also accompanied by a reduction in the systolic pressure so that a very pronounced effect with respect to the heart load is achieved by just a small perturbation of only one peripheral branch of the cardiovascular tree. With patients having normal blood pressure there is only a small reduction in blood pressure, but a large reduction in pulse rate. For patients with high blood pressure the reduction in blood pressure is pronounced, but the reduction in heart rate less so. The method and apparatus of the invention can namely be used for the simulation of any smooth or skeletal muscle in the body, other than the heart muscle, and will result in the beneficial effect of significant heart unloading as described above. 
     Looked at another way, the method of the invention is a method of achieving a heart load reduction in a living body having a heart, such as a mammal, and especially a human being, by measuring the heart rhythm and by producing pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system in synchronization with the heart rhythm in the counterpulsation mode to produce an optimized reduction in the pulse rate and hereby a net reduction in the heart load, the heart load being a function of the pulse rate and the systolic pressure. 
     In distinction to a pneumatic boot, the apparatus of the present invention can be made extremely light, compact and portable and can be worn by the user in the course of normal daily life without any significant restrictions on the patient&#39;s mobility and style of living. The means for measuring the heart rhythm can easily comprise a non-invasive sensor at some discrete position on the patient&#39;s body, since the sensor only needs to provide a basic signal enabling synchronization of the stimulation apparatus in the counterpulsation mode. 
     To ensure the mobility of the patient, this stimulation apparatus is conveniently an electrostimulation apparatus which can be powered by a small battery carried by the patient. The energy requirement is not excessively high because, as noted above, the apparatus basically only imposes a perturbation on the peripheral vascular system of the patient and the effect of this perturbation is effectively enhanced by a phenomenon which is not understood in full, but which can be likened to resonant phenomenon where a small perturbation results in a large effect. For this reason the method of the invention can be referred to as a cardioresonance stimulation method and apparatus. 
     In addition to electrical stimulation the present invention can, however, also be realized by using other ways of producing pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system, such as the use of a pressure pad contacting or encircling any skeletal or smooth muscle of the organism belonging to the peripheral vascular system. Although a pneumatic boot could be used for this purpose, it is also possible to use a much smaller simple pressure pad in order to realize the present invention because the function of the pneumatic stimulation is simply to produce a small perturbation in the peripheral vascular system rather than to squeeze the whole lower leg to effectively pump blood through it. 
     Accordingly, a pneumatic or hydraulic pressure pad for use in accordance with the invention can be made small and light and thus used during the normal daily life of the patient, rather than only being capable of being used when the patient is at rest, this being a serious disadvantage of a pneumatic boot, particularly since it restricts the length of each treatment. In contrast the apparatus of the present invention can be used for days on end if desired. 
     Other ways of producing pressure fluctuations in the peripheral vascular system can comprise treating the patient by impulses of light or by means of a pulsating oxygen supply, or indeed a pulsating CO 2  supply. Laser excitement treatments, electrically energized acupuncture treatments and acoustic treatments can also be considered as ways of producing the required pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system. In each case it is important that the stimulation is applied in a counterpulsation mode and that the parameters of the stimulation are appropriately selected for the patient, such parameters comprising: 
     the impulse delay before the start of counterpulsation, said impulse delay being the time difference between the Q-wave end of a QRS heart rhythm signal and the start of a train of stimulating impulses generating pressure pulsation, 
     the train duration, i.e. the time between the start and end of a train of stimulating impulses within one heart rhythm, 
     the frequency of the impulses forming a train of stimulating impulses generating pressure pulsation, 
     the impulse width, i.e. the time between the start and the end of one stimulating impulse of each said train, 
     the amplitude of stimulating impulses generating pressure pulsation, 
     the impulse form, being the geometric form of the stimulating impulse resulting when an amplitude of the impulse is displayed over a full impulse duration, 
     the impulse mode, being the relationship between positive and negative half cycles of each said stimulating impulse. 
     The method of the present invention can also be used in conjunction with a long term ECG, for example a 12-channel ECG, enabling medical practitioners to obtain a detailed insight into the patient&#39;s response to the treatment over a longer period of time. Such long-term ECGs, again in the form of portable apparatus are known per se and usually involve the temporary storage of data, a facility for compression of the stored data and a facility for read-out at regular intervals, for example once per day. 
     The cardioresonance electrostimulation method of the invention results in accompanying effects in all body systems influenced by dynamic changes in the cardiovascular system. I.e., on using the invention it is found that reactions result in all body systems of the living body, which are triggered by dynamic changes in the cardiovascular system by the cardioresonance phenomena resulting from the use of the invention. 
     The reactions in these other body systems can not yet be fully explained, however results have been observed in various body systems and these body systems are well known to be influenced by dynamic changes in the cardiovascular system. Some of the observed results are measured facts, some of them are perceptions and feelings reported by the probates. However, these observed results allow the assumption, that similar physical/physiological/biochemical reactions take place in these systems interlinked with the cardiovascular system. These observed results include observations which are partially known from asynchronous electrostimulation, however, with cardioresonance electrostimulation these reactions are more pronounced due to the cardioresonance phenomena. 
     The observed improvements include: 
     increased muscular endurance, power and mass 
     intensified regional lipolysis by increased metabolism 
     reduction of pain in body support and motion system (bone, nerves and muscles working together) e.g. by strengthening of selective leg muscles and thereby unloading knee joints by changing the loading angle, whereby the loading force in joints are applied to other areas, resulting in reduction of pain caused, for example, by arthrosis, or by osteochondrosis whereby strengthening of selective back muscles will reduce pain caused by backache or radiculitis and ischiasis 
     improved quality of skin, becoming smooth &amp; elastic by increased regional blood circulation 
     increased immunological resistance, e.g. reduction and elimination of chronic inflammation was measured 
     improved mental &amp; psychological condition, e.g. cheerfulness, mood improvement by increased endorphin production etc. 
     normalization of sleep 
     increased overall fitness, wellness and working capabilities &amp; efficiency 
     feeling light when walking, etc. 
     A particularly important aspect of the present invention is the way the time, i.e. the impulse delay, at which stimulation is applied to the living organism by the input system is adjusted to compensate for the reduction in pulse rate resulting from the treatment which has been found to enhance the cardioresonance phenomenon underlying the present invention. 
     It should be noted that it is, however, conceivable that the invention can be realized without this adjustment. For example, the time, i.e. the impulse delay, at which the stimulating impulses are applied to the living organism or patient could initially be delayed beyond the end of each T-wave, so that as the patient&#39;s heart rate drops as a result of the stimulation and the end of the T-wave occurs later, due to the increased duration of each heart beat, the stimulating impulses ultimately coincide with the end of the T-wave at the lower heart beat. 
     There are two basic ways in which the end of the T-wave can be established from the point of view of triggering each new train of stimulating impulses. In the first case the end of the T-wave can be directly detected, for example, from an electrocardiogram and the trains of pulses triggered as soon as the end of the T-wave has been detected. 
     Alternatively, other reference points on the electrocardiogram can be recognized, for example the ends of the Q-waves or the R-peaks, and a suitable delay to the end of each respective T-wave can then be calculated, since the length of the Q-T path has a known fixed relationship to the length of the R-R path. The trains of stimulating impulses are then triggered at the calculated ends of the T-waves. 
     The duration of each train of stimulating impulses is preferably selected to amount to 10 to 25% of a T-Q diastole duration, for example of the T-Q diastole duration of a normal human being at rest. Although the trains of pulses are preferably triggered precisely at the end of each T-wave, it is believed that this triggering point can be varied within the range from 5% of the Q-T systole duration before the end of the T-wave to 10% of the Q-T systole duration after the end of the T-wave. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating a typical electrocardiogram, 
     FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the human heart, 
     FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of the aorta at the junction with the heart and with the coronary arteries, 
     FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a first variant of an apparatus for applying electrostimulation in accordance with the present invention, 
     FIG. 2B is a graph illustrating the terminology used to describe a biphasic rectangular impulse, 
     FIG. 2C is a graph illustrating the timing of the pulses applied to a patient in the counterpulsation mode to achieve cardioresonance in accordance with the invention, 
     FIG. 3 is a set of diagrams showing the effect of the method and apparatus of the invention on the operation of the heart of a patient, 
     FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of the variant of FIG. 2A, 
     FIG. 5 shows a second variant of an apparatus in accordance with the invention for applying electrostimulation to a patient, using the pulse rate and/or a blood pressure meter as an input signal, 
     FIG. 6 is a block circuit diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a treatment system which can be worn by a patient while leading a normal life, 
     FIG. 8 is a block circuit diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 7, 
     FIG. 9 is a block circuit diagram similar to FIG. 8 showing a further development thereof, using the pulse rate and/or a blood pressure meter as an input signal, 
     FIG. 10 is a block circuit diagram summarizing the effect the method and apparatus of the invention have on the human body, 
     FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining the various types of muscular stimulation that are possible when using the present invention, 
     FIG. 12A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention by a pressure pad, 
     FIG. 12B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 12A, 
     FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention using pulses of light, 
     FIG. 13B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 13A, 
     FIG. 13C is a diagram similar to FIG. 13A but using an alternative light source, 
     FIG. 13D is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 13C, 
     FIG. 13E is a sketch illustrating the light source used in FIG. 13C, 
     FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention by using an acoustic source, 
     FIG. 14B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 14A, 
     FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention by using a laser, 
     FIG. 15B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 15A, 
     FIG. 16A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention by using electrically energized acupuncture treatment, 
     FIG. 16B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 16A, 
     FIG. 17A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of stimulating a patient in accordance with the present invention by using a pulsating variable oxygen/carbon dioxide supply, 
     FIG. 17B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 17A, 
     FIG. 18A is a diagram illustrating an alternative method of subjecting a patient to pressure pulsations, 
     FIG. 18B is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 18A, 
     FIG. 19A is a diagram illustrating the combination of the invention with a cardiostimulator, 
     FIG. 19B is a diagram illustrating the function of the invention in combination with a pacemaker, 
     FIG. 19C is a diagram illustrating the function of the invention in combination with a defibrillator, 
     FIG. 20 shows an alternative combination to that of FIG. 19A, 
     FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating the function of the invention in combination with a cardiomyostimulator, 
     FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the combined equipment of FIG. 21, 
     FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an alternative to the combination of FIG. 21, 
     FIGS. 24A and 24B are diagrams illustrating the invention when realized in conjunction with a brassiere, and 
     FIGS. 25A,  25 B and  25 C are diagrams illustrating the invention when realized in conjunction with a seat. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  1 C, a brief description of the normal operation of the human heart is given in order to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. 
     The heart  10  shown in FIG. 1B has four chambers, namely the right atrium RA, the right ventricle RV, the left ventricle LV, and the left atrium LA. Venous blood returning to the heart flows into the right atrium, then into the right ventricle and passes to the lungs via the pulmonary artery PA. In the lungs the blood picks up oxygen and returns to the left atrium LA, as indicated by the arrow  14 . From there, the oxygenated blood passes into the left ventricle, and then into the aorta AO where it starts on its journey through the so-called big circulation around the body. The circulation from the right ventricle to the lungs and then to the left atrium is called the minor circulation. 
     The operation of the heart is associated with electrical signals, which are shown on the electrocardiogram of FIG.  1 A. The point P signifies the contraction of the two atriums RA and LA, which pushes blood into the respective ventricles RV and LV via the respective valves  16  and  18 , which act as non-return valves. The section of the electrocardiogram starting with Q and ending with T is referred to as the systole and represents the ventricle contraction which serves to expel blood from the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery, and from the left ventricle into the aorta. During this contraction, the valves  16  and  18  are closed to prevent reverse flow into the right atrium and left atrium. The section TQ is referred to as the diastole, meaning the relaxation or expansion of the ventricles. The heart is supplied with oxygenated blood via the coronary arteries CA, which branch off from the aorta just upstream of the valves  20 ,  22 , which close to prevent blood returning from the aorta to the left ventricle during the diastolic phase. Clearly the heart, itself a muscle, must be supplied with oxygenated blood to keep the muscles working. The heart is supplied with this oxygenated blood via the coronary arteries CA during diastole. At T the valves  20 ,  22  of the aorta AO are closed and at this time the blood pressure in the aorta causes blood to enter the coronary arteries CA. Accordingly, an increase of the pressure in the aorta AO during diastole favors the coronary arteries. 
     As will be seen from the following, the present invention results in a small increase in pressure in the aorta during diastole and this has been found to have a profound effect on the operation of the heart muscle. 
     FIG. 2A shows an illustration of a basic apparatus which has been used for the testing of the present invention and which clearly also represents a perfectly viable apparatus for practicing the invention, although a whole variety of further improvements and developments are possible, as will be described later. 
     As shown in FIG. 2A, a patient  24  is shown lying on a bed  26  and is connected to an electrocardioscope  28  via, in this embodiment, three sensing electrodes  30 , which enable the electrocardioscope to show the ECG trace  32  for the particular patient  24  on the display  34 . From the information available to the electrocardioscope through the three electrodes  30 , a signal is extracted corresponding to the repetition frequency of the path R-R of the ECG trace of FIG.  1 A. That is to say, this signal represents the frequency at which the patient&#39;s heart beats, i.e. his pulse rate. 
     This signal is fed to a pulse generator  36  via a line  38  which is not shown in FIG. 2A but which is schematically illustrated in the diagram of FIG. 4 relating to the operation of the apparatus of FIG.  2 A. The pulse generator  36  delivers a train of biphasic rectangular pulses to the patient  24  via the active electrodes  40 , of which four are shown in FIG.  2 A. 
     The further electrode  42  is a neutral electrode necessary to complete the circuit. As illustrated in FIG. 2C the train of pulses  44  is triggered once per cycle of a patient&#39;s heart and is timed to coincide with the end of the T-phase of the ECG. The train of pulses  44  is also shown on the display  34  of the ECG, which enables the operator  46  to see the phase relationship between the train of pulses  44  and the electrocardiogram  34 . 
     From the joint display of the ECG and the train of pulses  44  on the screen  34  of the electrocardioscope, the operator  46  can see whether the train of pulses has the appropriate delay relative to the Q-wave to secure the cardioresonance desired in accordance with the invention. 
     As noted earlier, the train of pulses is preferably set to start at the end of the T-wave. The operator  46  is able to adjust the phase for the start of each train of pulses, i.e. the delay, so that it coincides with the end of the T-wave. This is one manual input into the pulse generator indicated at  48  in FIGS. 2A and 4. 
     Before discussing the effect the train of pulses  44  applied to the patient has, it is appropriate to discuss the terminology used in this specification with respect to the pulses generated by the input system comprising the pulse generator  36  and the electrodes  40 ,  42 . 
     The basic output of the pulse generator  36  is shown in FIG.  2 B. It can be seen that the train of pulses comprises a plurality of so-called biphasic, rectangular impulses. Each biphasic rectangular impulse has a rectangular positive half pulse  50 , and a rectangular negative half pulse  52  immediately following the positive half pulse, so that the impulse width is determined by the width of  50  plus the width of  52 . The biphasic impulse  50 ,  52  of FIG. 2B is then followed by an interval and is then followed by a second biphasic impulse indicated as  50 ′,  52 ′ in FIG.  2 B. The distance between sequential positive half waves  50 ,  50 ′ of the biphasic pulses determines the pulse repetition frequency of the signal. During the interval between sequential biphasic pulses and during the intervals between sequential trains of biphasic pulses, the voltage applied to the electrodes  40  is zero, i.e. the same as the voltage at the neutral electrode  42 , so that no stimulation of the patient occurs. This zero voltage is indicated by  54  in the diagram of FIG.  2 B. It will be noted that instead of applying voltages to the electrodes, currents can be applied to them in which case the references above to voltages should be regarded as references to currents. 
     As noted above, each train of biphasic rectangular pulses is timed to start at the end of the T-phase of the ECG, i.e. at points  56  in the diagram of FIG. 2C which shows an enlarged section of an ECG trace with the impulse trains  44  superimposed on it. In one specific example, the pulse repetition frequency of the biphasic rectangular pulses of each train is selected so that ten such pulses occur within the train duration. The train duration is usually selected to correspond to a time equivalent to from 10 to 25% of the TQ diastole duration of a human being undergoing treatment. 
     A typical value of the train duration will amount to 10% of the total duration of the heart beat, i.e. the R-R distance. Thus, the pulse repetition frequency delivered by the pulse generator  36  would, in this example, be ten pulses in one tenth of the duration of a heart beat, which might typically be equivalent to 1 second, thus resulting in a pulse repetition frequency of the individual pulses of the trains of 100 Hz. 
     For the purpose of giving a reasonable example, the amplitude of the output signal of the pulse generator  36 , i.e. as applied to the electrodes  40 , can vary from a positive amplitude  50  of plus 10 V to a negative amplitude  52  of minus 10 V. 
     It must be stressed that these values are simply given by way of example and that substantial variations may be made, depending on a whole variety of factors. 
     So far as the amplitude of the biphasic signal is concerned, it has been found that different patients have different threshold voltages at which they perceive the treatment as being uncomfortable. Thus, one possibility is for the operator  46  to vary the amplitude of the biphasic pulses until the patient perceives them as being slightly uncomfortable and then to reduce the amplitude slightly so that the patient suffers no discomfort. 
     Generally speaking, an amplitude from slightly above zero volts (say two or three volts) up to 15 volts or beyond is possible. The precise upper limit has not yet been investigated, but depends, certainly, on whether the patient feels comfortable with the voltage level applied. 
     The relationship between the pulse width and the pulse interval of each train of pulses determines the total energy input into the muscles stimulated via the electrodes  40 ,  42 . While a ratio of 1:10 has been found effective, this ratio can be varied substantially and indeed an interval is not absolutely essential. Generally speaking, with all patients a threshold is reached, depending on the pulse amplitude and the ratio of the pulse width to the interval, at which involuntary contractions of the muscle are apparent to a trained observer and the apparatus will usually be operated with amplitudes and ratios of the pulse width to pulse interval at levels at which apparent involuntary muscular contractions do occur, i.e. above the threshold value. 
     A particularly important reason for using biphasic pulses is to avoid the onset of electrolysis in the tissue affected by the applied impulses. Any effects of this kind which may be triggered during one half pulse are immediately reversed in the next half pulse. Although biphasic rectangular pulses of the kind described above have been found to be satisfactory and currently represent the preferred type of pulses, they are by no means the only possibility. Generally speaking, it is anticipated that the pulses delivered by the pulse generator will be biphasic in the sense that they have some positive going signal component and some negative going signal component. However, it is not out of the question that single phase rectangular pulses can also be used with advantage in some circumstances. 
     It is certainly not essential that the negative half wave is of the same size and shape as the positive half wave. The positive half wave could be of different amplitude and width from the amplitude and width of the negative half wave. Moreover, it is not essential for the pulses to be rectangular pulses. They could be sinusoidal or they could have some other shape if desired. 
     As is apparent from FIG. 4, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides the operator  46  with seven different parameters which he can set during the treatment of a patient. The first of these is the delay or impulse delay, which, as shown in FIG. 2C, is the time difference between the Q wave end of a QRS heart signal and the effective start of the impulses, i.e. the start of the train or burst of impulses which commences at the end of the T-wave. The operator  46  has the possibility of adjusting this delay at  48 , for example, by varying a potentiometer which determines the delay. This is an extremely important adjustment in the apparatus of FIG. 2A and 4 for the following reason: 
     As will be explained shortly, the effect of the pulses is to unload the heart. This manifests itself by a reduction of the pulse rate, i.e. of the frequency of the heart beat. This means that the time between successive R peaks of the ECG trace increases. Not only does R-R increase, but the distance from Q to the end of the T wave also increases because it stands in a known relationship to the time interval R-R. Thus, if the delay were fixed, the start of the train of pulses  44  would not always coincide with the end of the T-wave due to the change in the pulse rate. Accordingly, with the apparatus of FIG. 2A, where the operator  46  forms an important link in the chain, the operator is able to adjust the delay at  48  to ensure that the train of pulses is always initiated at the end of the T-wave. By way of example, it is entirely usual when using the apparatus of the present invention, for the patient&#39;s pulse rate to drop from, say, 72 to 62 over a ten minute period, so that the operator  46  has plenty of time to effect the necessary adjustment. 
     It is believed that the best results are obtained when the delay is timed so that the train of pulses is initiated at the end of the T-wave. However, it is quite likely that beneficial results will also be obtained if the train of pulses starts slightly later than the T-wave and indeed the invention may still function if the train of pulses is initiated just before the end of the T-wave. 
     Practically speaking, it is considered desirable to keep the start of the train of pulses within a range of −5% to +10% of the QT diastole duration related to the end of the T-wave of an electrocardiogram. In practice, with a particular patient, this delay can also be varied to see precisely which delay produces the most beneficial results with the patient. 
     Another parameter which can be varied by the operator  46  is the duration of the train of pulses applied to the patient after the end of each T-wave. As shown in FIG. 2C, the duration of a train is defined as the time between the start and the end of the impulses within a train or burst of impulses. This possibility of variation is indicated in FIG. 4 by the reference numeral  58 . 
     The train itself is the package of electric impulses which are repeated one after the other for the time defined by the duration of the train. The number of electric impulses in each train can be varied by varying the output frequency of the pulse generator, i.e. the pulse repetition frequency of the pulses in each train of pulses, i.e. the number of pulses that are repeated per second if the train of pulses were to be one second long. Furthermore, the duration of the train determines how long the stimulation with a given frequency is re peated, i.e. how many impulses are effectively delivered within one heart cycle. This frequency and the duration of the train can be varied by the operator  46  at the input  60  in the example of FIG.  2 A and FIG.  4 . The other variable which can be readily changed by the operator  46  in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 4 is the amplitude of the biphasic rec tangular impulses, i.e. the maximum difference between the peak value of the positive half cycle  50  and the peak value of the negative half cycle  52 , as shown in FIG.  2 B. This possibility of adjustment is indicated at  62  in FIG.  4 . The amplitude is normally measured as a potential difference in volts. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) it is possible to plot a current curve rather than a voltage and to vary the amplitude with reference to the corresponding peak amplitude of the current curve. 
     In the apparatus of FIGS. 2A and 4 there are three further parameters of the pulses which are fixed, i.e. cannot in this embodiment be varied by the operator  46 . The first of these parameters is pulse width, i.e. the time before the start and end of an electric impulse, as shown in FIG.  2 B. The pulse width is selected in the example of FIGS. 2A and 4, so that the interval at a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz is ten times as long as the pulse width. That is to say by fixing the pulse width the interval will automatically vary as the pulse repetition frequency is varied. If the pulse width is made variable, as it is in some other embodiments, then varying the pulse width automatically results in the interval shown in FIG. 2B varying, on the assumption that the repetition frequency of the pulses of the train of pulses does not change. Box  64  in FIG. 4 relates to the input at which the fixed value of the pulse width is selected. 
     The further boxes  66 ,  68  in FIG. 4 represent two further parameters of the output of the pulse generator, which in the apparatus of FIG.  2 A and FIG. 4 are fixed and not readily variable by the operator  46 . Box  66  relates to the impulse form, i.e. the geometric form of the electric impulse resulting when the amplitude of the electric impulse is displayed over the entire impulse width. In the present example this is a biphasic rectangular pulse but it could have different shapes, for example sinusoidal or saw-toothed. 
     Box  68  refers to the possibility of changing the impulse mode which relates to the alternating mode of how impulse forms are repeated between electric positive and electric negative phase of impulses. In the present example the impulse mode is clearly biphasic, with positive and negative, but otherwise identical electric impulses alternating one after the other. This mode switch would, however, allow the operator to select some other mode, for example two positive half pulses followed by one negative half pulse. 
     One other aspect of the invention should also be mentioned with reference to FIG.  2 A. This is the need for a plurality of electrodes  40 ,  42 . As mentioned above, the electrode  42  is a neutral electrode and it is only necessary to provide one such neutral electrode. However, more than one neutral electrode can be used when different areas of the body are treated, in order to allow a neutral electrode to be in the vicinity of each active electrode or each group of active electrodes. For long term treatment of a patient, it is however recommended to provide a plurality of active electrodes  40 , the minimum recommended number being two such active electrodes. 
     The reason is that the human body can become accustomed to the applied pulses and if only one active electrode  40  is provided, i.e. only one electrode to which the biphasic rectangular impulse signal of FIG. 2B is applied, the muscles that are stimulated by the potential between this electrode and the neutral electrode  42  gradually become accustomed to the stimulating voltage and are stimulated less effectively. By applying the stimulating impulses to the different active electrodes  40  in sequence, it is possible to ensure that the muscle groups affected by the applied impulses do not become so accustomed to them that the effect of stimulation wears off. 
     Experiments have shown that by applying the output signal of a pulse generator to several electrodes  40  in sequence the treatment can be carried out over a period of many days without problem, and indeed only two electrodes are sufficient for this. However, three or four electrodes are preferred. 
     In the experiments done to date the first train of pulses  44  has been applied to the first electrode  40 , the next train of pulses has been applied to the second electrode, the next train to the third electrode and the next train to the fourth electrode and the next train to the first electrode and so on. However, a sequence of this kind is not essential. It could be perfectly feasible to feed several trains of pulses to one electrode and then to change to the next electrode etc. Random energization of the electrodes with successive pulse trains or groups of pulse trains would also be entirely feasible. 
     It should be emphasized that there is nothing critical in the placement of the individual electrodes  40  and  42 . Although these are shown in the stomach region of the patient under treatment here, they could be virtually anywhere on the patient&#39;s body. It is a surprising aspect of the present invention that the stimulation of any part of the peripheral vascular system with even small amounts of excitation energy have been found to produce the beneficial effect of the invention. 
     A more detailed discussion of the types of electrostimulation possible will be given later in the description. 
     It will be noted that FIG. 4 also shows with a series of boxes how the stimulation input to the patient from the pulse generator affects the body. Box  70  indicates that the stimulation can be direct stimulation or neuromuscular stimulation which is more usual. As noted above, the stimulation aspects will be described later in more detail. 
     Box  72  shows that the stimulation can be applied either to skeletal muscles or to smooth muscles. The effect of applying the stimulation to skeletal or smooth muscles is in both cases to produce a pressure pulsation in a local blood vessel of the peripheral vascular system indicated by the box  74 . This local pressure fluctuation propagates via the blood, essentially an incompressible liquid indicated by box  76 , to the heart indicated by box  78 . Provided the pulses are timed correctly and applied in accordance with the teaching of the present invention, then they have been found to have a significant effect in reducing the heart load, which itself has an effect on the body of the patient indicated by box  80 . This effect is picked up by the electrodes  30  of the electrocardioscope. 
     As noted earlier, a signal corresponding to the pulse rate, for example the R-R signal, is then passed on to the pulse generator and triggers the generation of the biphasic rectangular pulses of the individual pulse trains. The ECG wave form  82  is shown on the display  34  of the electrocardioscope as is the output signal of the pulse generator, as shown by the lines  82  and  84  in FIG.  4 . The operator  46  has the ability to vary the impulse delay to ensure that each train of pulses starts at the end of the T-wave of the electrocardiogram or at the position deemed optimal in a particular case. 
     The operator  46  is able to see, by observing the display  34 , how the patient&#39;s heart rate drops in response to the treatment and is able to vary the impulse delay accordingly. Although the impulse delay is conceptually considered as measured from the end of the Q-wave, it can be measured from another datum if required. It is in fact simpler to measure the impulse delay from the R peaks because these are larger signals which also occur at clearly defined times. 
     FIG. 3 gives a graphic representation of the effect of the treatment with the method and apparatus of the invention. The topmost curve  86  shows several peaks of an ECG wave form and is divided basically into three sections A, B and C. Section A shows a patient&#39;s cardiac rhythm in a normal situation, i.e. without stimulation. Section B shows the cardiac rhythm during continued stimulation. This division into sections A, B, C also applies to the further curves  88  and  90 . In curve  86  section B shows the first train of impulses  44  which starts after the end of the T-wave and lasts for about 15% of the T-Q path. This same wave form repeats in phase C and continues repeating until the stimulation is terminated. The effect of this stimulation is to produce a significant reduction in the patient&#39;s heart rate so that the length between successive R positions of the ECG lengthens in the course of time. It will be noted that the R-R pattern in section C is longer than in section A, by a length labeled “b” as shown in curve  90  in FIG.  3 . 
     Curve  88  shows the modulation of the muscular power resulting from the trains of electrical impulses such as  44 . In phase A of line  88 , there is no stimulation and accordingly the line is a straight line. The first stimulation occurs in the section B and results in a stimulation of a muscle which affects the peripheral vascular system. It will be noted that the muscle contraction  3  starts at the start of the train of pulses  44  and tends to reach its maximum contraction at the end of the train of pulses and then relaxes over a time period slightly longer than the train duration. It will be noted that the train of pulses  44  contains a plurality of stimulating electrical impulses but results in a simple muscular contraction. This muscular contraction  3  produces a pressure pulsation in the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system which propagates back to the patient&#39;s heart. 
     The result of this can be seen from the curve  90 , which is in fact a composite curve showing the pressure in the aorta and the left ventricular pressure. The left ventricular pressure starts from a base line value  92  and increases smoothly into a rounded peak  94 , which has a value above the base line value  92  from the start of the Q wave until just after the end of the T-wave. Superimposed on this curve is a curve  96  for the pressure in the aorta. 
     At the point  98  the valves  20 ,  22  in FIG. 1C open and the pressure in the left ventricle is communicated directly into the aorta so that the pressure in the aorta rises at the same rate and with the same value as the pressure in the left ventricle until the end of the T-wave is reached, i.e. until the point  100  in FIG. 3, where the valves  20 ,  22  close again and the pressure in the aorta gradually sinks as the blood in it moves through the arteries of the human body. At point  98 ′ the valves  20 ,  22  open again and the cycle repeats. 
     The effect of the muscular contraction, indicated by  3  in the curve  88 , is to modulate the pressure in the aorta by a pressure wave traveling back to the aorta, from the peripheral blood vessel pulsation induced by the muscle contraction, so that in phase B it is slightly higher—shown as a visible hump—in the region labeled  2  than the corresponding value in phase A of curve  96 . However, after the end of the muscular contraction, the pressure in the aorta sinks to lower values than were present in the corresponding section of the pressure curve in phase A. 
     At the same time it will be noted that the peak  94 ″ of the left ventricular pressure has also reduced relative to the peak value  94  in phase A. The reduction in labeled  4  in FIG.  3 . 
     What this means in practice is that the hump  2  in the pressure in the aorta in diastole results in increased coronary circulation, i.e. more blood and more oxygen is being supplied to the heart muscles, resulting in more energy being made available to the heart. This causes the pulse rate to reduce so that the duration of each heart beat increases from the value a before stimulation by the amount b to the value a+b after prolonged stimulation. The typical measured reduction with various probates is about 10 pulses per minute in the rest mode, for example 70 down to 60, or up to 30 or more at a high pulse rate, for example from 140 to 110, because of an increase of the DPTI/TTI ratio (diastolic blood pressure time index/time tension index). 
     In addition, the reduction indicated by 4 from the peak value  94  in phase A to the peak value  94 ″ in the phase C represents a fall in the systolic pressure in the left ventricle and thus reducing left ventricular wall tension. 
     Bearing in mind that the heart load is proportional to the pulse rate times the systolic pressure, the effect of the invention in lowering both pulse rate and systolic pressure leads to a significant reduction in heart load. 
     The pre-systolic blood pressure, i.e. the pressure at the points  98 ,  98 ′,  98 ″ in FIG. 3 seems to reduce by about −5 mm Hg for a probate with normal blood pressure of 120/60. Extremely beneficial is the fact that with patients with blood pressure which is too high the reduction is far more pronounced, although the reduction in the heart rate for such patients tends to be less than for normal patients. 
     It is also noted that the cardioresonance electrostimulation of the invention not only results in a lower systolic pressure but also a steeper pressure increase in the systole, which can also be seen from curve  90  in phase C of FIG.  3 . 
     Generally speaking it can be said that DPTI increases by some +10 to 15% depending on probates resulting from the hump in the blood pressure increase in diastole, reduced heart pulse rate and corrected by the difference from reduced pre-systolic blood pressure, assuming probates with normal blood pressure. 
     TTI decreases by some 4 to 5% , resulting from lower pre-systolic blood pressure corrected by the steeper pressure increase in systole (as shown at  7  in FIG.  3 ). 
     The benefit of this is that the DPTI/TTI ratio consequently increases by some 15 to 20% depending on probates for those having normal blood pressure. Thus, the typical heart load reduction is some 10 to 25% or more depending on the probates and their physical condition, which results from lower heart pulse rate and reduced systolic blood pressure and lower presystolic pressure. Furthermore, myocardial contractivity is improved, coronary blood circulation increased and ischemia reduced. 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, a similar apparatus can be seen to that shown in FIG. 2A, but with various modifications. Because of the similarity to the apparatus of FIG. 2A, the same basic reference numerals will be used to identify the items of apparatus in FIG.  5  and in FIG. 6 as were used in connection with FIG.  2 A and FIG. 4, but increased by 100 for the sake of clear differentiation. Only those items where a significant difference is present will be specifically described. All items not specifically described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 but shown in the drawing will be understood to have the same function and operation as the correspondingly numbered elements in FIGS. 2A and 4. The description given to these elements in FIGS. 2A and 4 will be understood to apply to FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     The general arrangement of the patient  124  on the bed  126  is the same as before. The first significant difference in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is the fact that the pulse generator  136  has been incorporated into the housing of the electrocardioscope  128 . Despite this modification the arrangements of the electrodes  140  and  142  is the same as before and these are fed by the pulse generator  136  in just the same way as described above in relation to FIGS. 2A and 4. Equally, the electrocardioscope  128  has three sensor electrodes  130  connected to the patient in the heart region. It should be noted here that different electrocardioscopes have different numbers of electrodes, depending on the precise measurements that are required. For the purpose of the present invention a simple measurement is sufficient. The operator is again schematically indicated at  146 . 
     Another significant difference in FIG. 5 is the additional provision of a blood pressure meter  131  which is connected to a blood pressure measuring cuff  133  via the usual lines  135  (only one shown). Thus, in addition to carrying out an ECG measurement, a measurement of the patient&#39;s blood pressure is also effected. The blood pressure meter  131  has a display  137  on which the patient&#39;s blood pressure can be displayed, either as a curve or simply as different values for the systolic and diastolic pressure. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6 it will be noted that the layout of the pulse generator  136  is essentially the same as for the pulse generator of the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 4. The same seven values for the pulses output by the pulse generator can be set as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 4. However, in this embodiment all of the parameters are variable and indeed either by the operator  146  or automatically. When the apparatus is intended for manual adjustment, the operator is able to effect the individual settings via respective inputs  148 ′ to  168 ′. Alternatively, all these settings can be effected electronically via a suitable external program interface  141 , which communicates with an input program interface  143  connected to the pulse generator, which is preferably realized as a chip. The communication between the external interface  141  and the internal interface  143  can be direct, i.e. by hard wiring, or can be indirect, for example by way of an infrared transmitter or the like. 
     When the settings are effected automatically, the pulse generator, i.e. the control unit controlling the operation of the pulse generator is programmed to either detect the end of each T-wave, or to calculate the time position of the end of each T-wave from the data provided by the electrocardioscope and to automatically control the triggering of the pulse train so that each train is automatically triggered at the end of each T-wave. Such synchronized operation of a pulse generator is well known generally in the electronic arts, for example in transmitters which respond to acknowledge an incoming signal, and can thus readily be realized by a person skilled in the art. 
     In addition, the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is provided with a data storage system  151  including a memory which is able to store any desired parameters or measured values of the apparatus. Thus, the storage system can be designed to store, optionally in compressed form, full wave ECGs over a period of time, for example an hour, a day or a week, and also data relating to the patient&#39;s blood pressure in the same intervals. The external program interface can also be used to read out the data contained in the data storage system. 
     Another special feature of the apparatus of FIG. 6 is the safety cutout  161 . 
     The point of this safety cutout is to analyze the measured parameters and to compare them with established parameters so that the treatment can be automatically discontinued if the measured parameters show any undesirable deviation from the desired values. 
     By way of example, limiting values for critical parameters such as the pulse rate and the systolic or diastolic pressure can be registered and stored in the safety cutout, or in a memory associated with the apparatus to which the safety cutout has access. During electrostimulation the safety cutout receives values corresponding to the pulse rate and the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and checks whether any of these values are higher or lower than the limit values set before the start of electrostimulation. Should any of the values rise above the limit values, or rise above the limit values by a significant amount, then the safety cutout will be programmed to operate to alert the operator  146  and/or to shut off the pulse generator if appropriate. The limit values can also be set to be the initial values before electrostimulation. 
     The safety cutout could also be designed to trigger its function, for example to cutout stimulation or to signal an alarm, if statistical deviations of the input signal are detected over a certain time period or when heart arrythmia are detected. 
     Moreover, the safety cutout can also compare the patient&#39;s pulse rate and blood pressure values with stored lower threshold values, which are set at a safety level, below which they should not fall. Should the measured values during electrostimulation fall below the minimum safety values, then again the operator can be alerted and/or the system can be automatically shut down. Rather than using actual measured values taken from the patient himself to define the upper limits of the critical parameters, it is also possible to program the safety cutout, for example using the external and internal program interfaces  141  and  143  with appropriate values from a normal, healthy person or from a person suffering from the same typical problem as the patient undergoing treatment. 
     The apparatus of FIGS. 2A and 4 and FIGS. 5 and 6 are clearly used for the treatment of patients in a reclining state. 
     The invention is, however, quite capable of being used by patients going about their normal daily lives. 
     Thus, FIG. 7 shows a patient equipped with a suitable apparatus for carrying out the treatment throughout the course of a normal day while going about his normal daily life, or during sleep. 
     For the sake of consistency, items or apparatus in the present embodiment which correspond to those of the embodiment of FIG. 2A will be designated with the same general reference numerals but increased by 200. Again, the description previously given will be understood to apply to items not described in detail but having the same general reference numeral as used in FIG.  2 A. 
     Thus, the apparatus of FIG. 7 comprises an elastic chest bandage which includes two heart pulse rate sensors  253  and a wireless transmission unit  255  for transmitting a signal corresponding to the heart pulse rate to a receiver  257  incorporated into an elastic waistband, for example of a pair of pants  267 . The receiver  257  forms part of an electrostimulation unit comprising a pulse generator  236  with an inbuilt battery. The pulse generator  236  is again connected via wires to corresponding electrodes  240  and  242 , of which only one active electrode  240  and one neutral electrode  242  are shown in FIG.  7 . It will, however, be understood that a plurality of active electrodes  240  can be provided as aforesaid. 
     A heart pulse rate sensor with a radiotransmitter unit of the kind used here is available for use by athletes under the trade name “Polar” (registered trade mark). In the “Polar” transmitter two electrodes are provided to detect an electrical signal on the wearer&#39;s skin. The electrodes are mounted on a sealed transmitter that is attached to the patient&#39;s chest by way of the elastic chest bandage. The Polar transmitter detects the voltage differential on the skin during every heartbeat and sends the signal continuously and wirelessly using electromagnetic fields to a wrist receiver. The receiver is modified, not to be in a wrist watch, but instead built into a waistband, as aforesaid. The method used in the Polar transmitter is based on ultralow power consumption, which is guaranteed with the unique insertion mode at electronic module and carefully designed and tested circuitry to pick up the electrical signal of the heart. The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 7 is basically the same as the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 4, as can be seen with reference to the block circuit diagram of FIG.  8 . 
     The similarity to the apparatus of FIGS. 2A and 4 and to the apparatus of FIGS. 5 and 6 can readily be seen from FIG.  8 . It will be noted that a display  263  is provided which can take the form of a small liquid crystal display mounted, for example, on the waistband of the pants. The display  263  would normally display just the patient&#39;s pulse rate, but could optionally display any other desired information, for example the settings of the pulse generator. Here the settings of the pulse generator can be controlled by the patient himself  224  or by an operator  246  if the apparatus is fitted to a patient in a surgery, for example. The patient  224  or the operator  246  can control the seven variable settings—or only some of them if the others are fixed—via corresponding manual inputs  248 ′,  258 ′,  260 ′,  262 ′,  264 ′,  266 ′ and  268 ′, which could, for example, be realized as keys on a small keyboard. Alternatively, a program interface  243  can be provided which can be used to program the pulse generator by a separate input program program interface  243 , as in the apparatus of FIG.  6 . 
     As noted above, the apparatus of the present invention is provided with a simple pulse rate meter in order to deliver an R-R signal which is quite sufficient to control the pulse generator  236  to provide the correct stimulating pulses at the correct time. It is not necessary to actually measure the end of the T-wave to control the delay of the pulses, because the Q-T path is known to have a well-defined relationship with the R-R path and thus the end of the T-wave can easily be calculated from the signals generated by the pulse rate meter. 
     It will be noted that it is not essential for the signals from the pulse meter to be transmitted by radio to the pulse generator  236 . The signal could easily be transmitted using small wires if desired. Moreover, there are numerous pulse rate measuring sensors instruments available which are very small and unobtrusive and can be used at a location other than immediately in the vicinity of the patient&#39;s heart. Any of these known pulse rate measuring sensors can be used for the purposes of the present teaching. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 there is also a safety cutout  261 , but here the safety cutout only responds to the patient&#39;s heart rate, i.e. only operates to signal alarm and/or switch off the pulse generator if the patient&#39;s pulse rate goes too high or too low or when statistical deviations occur over a certain period of time or when arrythmia is detected. It would also be entirely feasible to incorporate a portable ECG apparatus into the apparatus of FIGS. 7 and 8 and to equip the apparatus with a data storage system as shown in FIG. 6 so that a long term ECG can be measured in conjunction with the apparatus of the present invention. 
     A possible modification of the apparatus of FIG. 7 is shown in FIG.  9 . Here the same basic reference numerals are used as in the apparatus of FIG. 8, but prefixed with the number  300  rather than  200 . It will be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 8 to  9  that the only real difference is the addition of a blood pressure meter  365  which can also pick up a suitable signal from a patient&#39;s body and enable this signal to be shown on the display  363 . In addition, if a blood pressure meter is provided, it can also be connected to the pulse generator as a variable input signal in parallel to the pulse rate R-R. For cases in which the heart rate signal is switched off, the output signal of the blood pressure meter can be the only input signal to the pulse generator, so that the apparatus is also able to operate without a separate pulse rate measurement. Moreover, the blood pressure meter can also be connected to the safety cutout  361 , so that an alarm is given should the patient&#39;s blood pressure rise or fall beyond safe limits. 
     The controller of the pulse generator can use either one of the single input signals as the control parameter. I.e. the controller can use either the heart pulse rate signal  238 , see e.g. FIG. 8, or the systolic blood pressure signal included in signal  365 , as the control parameter. Alternatively the controller of the pulse generator can use a combination of the two input signals, i.e. the heart pulse rate signal  238  and the systolic blood pressure signal in  365  in parallel, see e.g. FIG.  9 . 
     If the controller uses as the control parameter a factor resulting from the heart pulse rate signal multiplied by a factor relating to the systolic blood pressure—then the multiplied factor is proportional to the heart loading. The first measurement of the input signal or signals entering the controller when it is started, i.e. the value of the input signal or signals before the start of the stimulation will determine the factors with the value of 1. Every deviation of the factors will be measured by the controller relative to these starting values having the value of 1, when comparing the effective result achieved versus the intended reduction of the multiplied factors, which is proportional to the reduction of the heart load being aimed for. 
     This means that when the two input signals are used in parallel, see e.g. FIG. 9, the controller aims to minimize the multiplied factors of the two input signals (heart pulse rate and systolic blood pressure—being proportional to the heart load directly) by varying one or more of the seven variable parameters of the pulse generator, numbered  248  to  268  in FIG. 9, according to algorithms which are programmed into the microchip forming the control unit of the pulse generator  236 . If the two input signals, heart pulse rate and systolic blood pressure are not measured at the same intervals and/or not with the same timing relative to the QRS complex of the heart, the controller will always use the latest valid factor for each input signal for the multiplication. 
     If only one of the two input signals is being used—either the heart pulse rate, see FIG. 8, or the systolic blood pressure alone—then the not present input signal is given the constant value of 1 for the multiplication of the factors. In this case, the heart load is being regarded as proportional only to the selected input signal. This means that the controller aims to minimize the selected input signal—either the heart pulse rate or the systolic blood pressure—by varying one or more of the seven variable parameters of the pulse generator, numbered  248  to  268  in FIG. 8, according to algorithms which are programmed into the microchip.” 
     In the case of a portable apparatus it would be advisable for the safety cutout to be provided with an alarm so that the patient is alerted to a dangerous condition and look at the display and switch off the pulse generator or stop whatever labor or exercise he is undertaking. 
     It should be noted that the portable apparatus of FIGS. 7,  8  and  9  is particularly suitable for all categories of treatment described in the introduction to the specification and in particular for lipolysis and body shaping treatment and helping athletes improve their performance, in training various muscle groups of the body and in general improvement of a person&#39;s condition and physique. If particular muscle groups are to be trained, for example muscles concerned with the urinary tract or the sphincter muscle, then special electrodes need to be placed accordingly, so that the required local stimulation takes place. 
     Further details relating to the electrostimulation of the body will be given with reference to the diagram of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating how the method and apparatus of the present invention works on the human body. 
     FIG. 10 is basically a combination of elements of the diagram of FIG. 4 with elements of the diagrams of FIG.  1 . Accordingly, the same reference numerals will be used. 
     FIG. 10 shows that electrostimulation is applied directly or as neuromuscular stimulation  70  to either skeletal or smooth muscles that are indicated by box  72 . These muscles act on the peripheral vascular system of the patient to cause peripheral blood vessel pulsation indicated by box  74 . This is transmitted through the blood in the patient&#39;s body as a pressure waveback to the aorta AO, where a corresponding pressure increase arises. The pressure pulsations affect the circulation of the blood in the patient&#39;s body indicated by  70  and in particular increase the coronary circulation through the coronary arteries CA. These directly oxygenate the heart  10 , which in turn affects and improves the pumping of blood through the patient&#39;s body. Thus, the better pumping of the heart  10  results in an affect on the aorta, hence the double arrows between the box AO for the aorta and the box  70  for the patient&#39;s blood system. 
     The improved blood flow through the aorta also has an effect on the peripheral vascular system, since the blood flow there is improved as well. Clearly improved blood flow into the peripheral vascular system results in increased blood flow back through the veins  71  to the heart, as indicated by the arrow  12  in FIGS. 1B and 10. 
     FIG. 11 now explains various different concepts of neuromuscular electrostimulation. More specifically, FIG. 11 shows a bundle of nerves  400  which pass to muscle fibers  402  of a skeletal muscle  404 . 
     As before, for example in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 4, the neutral electrode is labeled  42 . FIG. 11 shows two different active electrodes  40  and  40 ′. The active electrode  40  is positioned close to a location where the bundle of nerves  400  is fairly close to the surface of the skin. In this case the active electrode  40  stimulates the bundle of nerves  400 . By stimulating the bundle of nerves  400  it stimulates the muscle fibers  402  in the muscle  404 , to which the bundle of nerves  400  leads. This is a typical example of neuromuscular electrostimulation. 
     In contrast, the active electrode  40 ′ is not positioned close to a bundle of nerves  400 , but rather in the immediate proximity to the muscle  404 , so that it stimulates the muscle fibers  402  in the muscle  404  directly. This is called direct stimulation. Generally speaking, direct stimulation requires more power and higher voltages or currents than neuromuscular stimulation. Direct stimulation is, however, particularly important in the rehabilitation of patients such as paraplegics, where a bundle of nerves, such as  400 , may have been cut for some reason or other, for example due to an accident. 
     In some cases a bundle of nerves such as  400  passes very close to the surface of the skin, for example in the back, close to the spine, so that a type of nerve stimulation is possible referred to as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), this being a special case of neuromuscular stimulation. 
     All the electrostimulation discussed to date has taken the form of electrostimulation and indeed it will be noted that the pulse generator apparatus shown in all the variants described hitherto has a closely similar layout, irrespective of whether it is used for the stationary treatment of patients in hospitals or clinics, or for outpatient treatment in some form or another. This is a particular advantage of the invention. It means that a dedicated chip can be made for the pulse generator and the associated electronic functions and control devices and elements. The same basic module can be used for all different types of equipment, thus enabling mass production and cost and space savings. Through the ability to incorporate all the required functions on a single chip or on a plurality of small interconnected chips, there is very little weight for a patient to carry around, and indeed, as will be discussed later, the equipment can be incorporated into an existing cardiostimulator, or implanted into the human body for long term use. 
     Electrical stimulation is, however, not the only way of using the present invention. A number of other ways of using the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to  18 . 
     Where items are used in these diverse embodiments which correspond to the items of equipment in any of the previously discussed embodiments, then the same reference numerals will be used to facilitate as understanding of the invention. It will be understood that where reference numerals are used in FIGS. 12 to  18  which have counterparts in earlier Figures, then the description given to those counterparts also applies here. 
     FIG. 12 shows a patient  124  sitting on a chair  125 , with the patient having three electrodes  30  forming the ECG measuring set and connected to a combined pulse generator  136  and electrocardioscope  128  with a display  134 . In addition, the pulse generator and electrocardioscope  136 ,  128  includes a blood pressure meter  131  connected by the usual lines  135  to a blood pressure measuring sleeve  133 , which could be realized differently in accordance with any known blood pressure measuring instrument. 
     On the patient&#39;s leg there is a bandage  500  incorporating a pressure pad  502 , which is connected to a generator  504  for generating fluid pulsations using any gas or liquid. For this purpose the fluid pulsation generator  504  is connected to a pressure source  506  and is connected via a line  508  to the pressure pad. Included in the generator for fluid pulsations is an inlet valve and an outlet valve (not shown), which are controlled via signals delivered from the pulse generator  128  combined with the electrocardioscope  136 . That is to say, the electrical pulses delivered by the pulse generator  128 , which can for example have the triangular sinusoidal or rectangular wave shape shown in FIG. 12A are used to initiate the opening and closing of valves in the fluid pulsation generator, so that when the inlet valve is open and the outlet valve is closed, a pressure pulse is applied to the pressure pad  502  via the line  508 , and so that when the outlet valve is opened and the inlet valve is closed, the pressure pad  502  is vented through the outlet valve. Accordingly, pressure pulsations are applied to the patient&#39;s leg in accordance with the selected wave form. 
     Generally speaking, only one pulse will be applied for each beat of the patient&#39;s heart, and again the pulse will be applied directly after the end of the T-wave so that the stimulation takes place in counterpulsation. Again, the pulse generator  128  incorporated in the electrocardioscope  136  is designed so that it automatically follows the changing position of the end of the T-wave which is dependent on the patient&#39;s pulse rate. The blood pressure measurement can again be used for checking purposes and/or as an input signal to the pulse generator or to trigger a safety device. Input signal combinations could be used, for example as schematically shown by the switches between box  180  and the boxes  514  and  516 . 
     FIG. 12B illustrates how the apparatus of FIG. 12A operates. Again it can be seen that the fluid pulsation generated by the fluid pulsation generator  504 , as triggered by the pulse generator  128 , applies pressure pulsations to the pressure pad  502 , which results in compression of the patient&#39;s tissue  508  in the vicinity of the pressure pad and thus to compression of the patient&#39;s muscle, as shown by box  510 . The compression of the tissue and of the muscle results in corresponding pulsation of a blood vessel in the peripheral vascular system, as shown by box  512 . This pressure pulsation is transmitted via the patient&#39;s blood  176  to the patient&#39;s heart  178 , where it affects the patient&#39;s heart pulse rate. The affect on the heart  10  causes the heart to have an affect on the patient&#39;s vascular system, i.e. on his body indicated schematically at  180 . More specifically, it affects the patient&#39;s pulse rate at the sensing location, as indicated by box  514 , and the patient&#39;s blood pressure, as indicated by box  516 . The heart pulse rate is passed on to the pulse generator to ensure that the pulse is generated or timed correctly with respect to the end of the T-wave. The blood pressure is also shown connected to the pulse generator. 
     FIG. 13A is similar in some respects to FIG.  12 A. Therefore the same reference numerals have been used for common elements. However, in the case of FIG. 13A pulsating light is used to excite pulsations in the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system. In this case the light generated by a bulb  520  is directed, optionally using a mirror  522  for concentration purposes onto the patient&#39;s face, so that his eyes and skin perceive the light pulsation. Again, the light pulsation is triggered by the pulse generator  136  combined into the electrocardioscope  128 . 
     The diagram of FIG. 13B shows that the light generator  520  produces light pulsations  522  which effect the eyes  524  and/or the skin  526  of the patient. The pulsations are picked up by the brain of the patient  528 , which acts on his nervous system  530  to produce smooth muscle contraction, as indicated by box  532 . The smooth muscle contraction affects the peripheral vascular system causing blood vessel pulsation  512  in the same way as in FIG.  12 B. The remainder of the functional diagram of FIG. 13B corresponds precisely to that of FIG. 12B, so that the same reference numerals are used and the same description applies. 
     FIGS. 13C and 13D are basically similar to FIGS. 13A and 13B, but here a special type of light source  520 ′ is used, which is shown in more detail in FIG.  13 E. 
     Moreover, the blood pressure measurement (which is always to be regarded as an optional extra in FIGS. 12 to  18 ) has been omitted. In addition, the heart pulse rate sensor used here is the belt variant  253 ′, first described with reference to FIG. 7, which transmits heart pulse rate signals by wireless transmission from the transmitter  255 ′ to the pulse generator  136 ′. 
     The actual light source  520 ′ comprises here a light source available from the company AURA-SOMA Ltd. of Tetford, Lincolnshire, England. The device comprises a light bulb  521  which is energized via batteries  523  and the light bulb can be switched on and off by a tilting switch  525 . In front of the bulb  521  there is a vial  527  filled with a colored die so that light of the corresponding color emerges from the vial and is focused by a crystal focusing device  529  onto a focus  531  illustrated here on the patient&#39;s thumb  533 . Usually one treatment is done with light of just one particular color. The light source can be moved (scanned) and the focus  531  adjusted by keeping the right distance along a meridian of the thumb or any acupuncture points on the skin designated by the reference numeral  535 . The vial  527  is exchangeable so that light of different colors can be realized using the same piece of equipment. A similar device—however not synchronized with the heart—known as a “colorpuncture” is available in Germany from Peter Mandel. The receiver  257 ′ for the radio signals triggered by the heart pulse rate sensor  253 ′ and transmitted via the transmitter unit  255 ′ is integrated in this embodiment into the pulse generator. 
     The pulse generator is operated as described previously with respect to FIG.  13 A and is used to provide a signal which acts on the circuit communicating power from the batteries  523  to the light bulb  521  to modulate the light emitted by it and thus produce the light pulsations that are desired. 
     The pulse generator could be a simple dynamically operated switch which switches the light source on and off very fast or more softly over time by means of actuating a built in dimmer. Thus the stimulating pulses could be varied by the switch as a function of time, very fast switching would give an almost rectangular shape, soft switching via a dimmer could be done in any form over time, for example a sinusoidal form over time. Thus the pulse generator can be essentially nothing else than a device which allows the switching on and off of the battery powered light source, for example the light beamer pen of AURA-SOMA, with different switching modes as described above synchronized with the heart beat in the counterpulsation mode, i.e. starting exactly at the end of the T-wave with a duration as long as a muscle contraction, i.e. about 25 to 50% of the T-Q value of the R-R wave provided via the sensor electrodes and/or alternatively via the blood pressure being measured once a heart rhythm. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 13D, the light pulsation  522 ′ passes through the transparent color filter  527  and falls on the meridian  535  of the thumb or of another extremity of the body or the skin of the body. The effect of this pulsation affects the patient&#39;s brain  528 , which results via his nervous system  530 , in a smooth muscle contraction  532 . This leads, in similar manner to that shown in FIG. 13B, to blood vessel pulsation  512 , which is transmitted via the blood  176  to the patient&#39;s heart  178  and affects his body and thus his heart pulse rate  514 . The heart pulse rate  514  is transmitted to the pulse generator  136 , which in turn triggers the light source  521  to produce the light pulsation  522 ′. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the patient  124  is subjected not to light waves from a pulsating light source  520  but rather with acoustic waves generated via a loudspeaker  540 . The loudspeaker is triggered or energized via the pulse generator  136  incorporated into the electrocardioscope  128  as before. Thus, in this case, the pulse generator  128  acts on the loudspeaker  540  to generate acoustic pulsations as shown in box  542  which are applied to the body  180  of the patient  124 . These pressure pulsations are perceived by the brain  528 , which then acts on the patient&#39;s nervous system  530 , which in turn leads to smooth muscle contraction, as shown in box  530 , which in turn produces blood vessel pulsation  510 , with the lower part of the diagram of FIG. 14B being precisely the same as the lower part of the diagram of FIG. 13B, which is why it is provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described further here. 
     It suffices to say that the feedback of the heart pulse rate enables the pulse generator  128  to ensure that the acoustic pulsations are triggered at the end of the T-wave. 
     FIG. 15 shows a system closely similar to FIG. 13, except that here a laser  550  is used as the light source, which could also be an infrared laser, with the light source in this case acting on the patient&#39;s skin. The only difference in this case is that the pulse generator  128  triggers the generation of laser light as indicated by box  550 , which results in laser pulsations, as indicated in box  552 , which act on the patient&#39;s skin (box  554 ) and through this affect the patient&#39;s brain  528 , with the remainder of the loop being completed in FIG. 15B in the same way as in FIG. 13B, which is why the same reference numerals are used and the same description applies. 
     FIG. 16 shows a system which closely resembles the laser system of FIG. 15, with the exception that instead of using laser light to trigger pulsations in the patient, electrostimulation of an acupuncture electrode  562  is used. In this case the output of the pulse generator  136  is applied directly or via a suitable amplifier  560  to an acupuncture needle  562  in the patient&#39;s arm. Thus, in this case the acupuncture amplifier  560 , effectively a generator of electrostimulation signals, causes electrostimulation of the acupuncture needle  562 , which affects the patient&#39;s skin  554 , with the remainder of the operational loop of FIG. 16B being identical to that of FIG. 13,  14  or  15 , so that it will not be described in further detail here, but rather the same reference numerals are used as in these earlier Figures and the same description applies. 
     FIG. 17 shows yet another way of causing the required pulsations in the peripheral vascular system of the patient and indeed in this case using either fluctuating oxygen pressure supply and/or a fluctuating carbon dioxide supply. For this variant there is provided a bottle of oxygen  570  and/or a bottle of CO 2    572 , which can be connected via a valve system  574  to a line  576  leading to a mask  578  covering the patient&#39;s mouth and/or nose. Pulses generated by the pulse generator  136  act on the valve  574  to supply oxygen and/or CO 2  to the patient via the mask. A fast digital mixing valve  576  enables the ratio of O 2  to CO 2  to be varied if the patient is simultaneously supplied with both gases. The pulsating supply of O 2  and/or CO 2  as indicated by box  580  in FIG. 17B acts on the patient&#39;s lungs as indicated by box  582 , which has an effect directly on the patient&#39;s blood system  176  and also indirectly on his brain, as indicated by box  528 . Irrespective of which route predominates, the effect on the patient&#39;s blood, either directly, as shown by the dotted line  584 , or indirectly via the nervous system  530 , smooth muscle contraction  532  and blood vessel pulsation  512  result and produce the desired effect on the patient&#39;s heart  178  and on the patient&#39;s body  180 , which again causes a change in the heart pulse rate  514  and a change in the patient&#39;s blood pressure  516 . 
     FIG. 18 shows a system which can be considered similar to FIG.  12 . Here the patient  124  is sitting in a chamber filled with air indicated by the box  590 . The chamber includes a spring loaded diaphragm (diaphragm  592 , springs  594 ). The diaphragm can be subjected to pressure pulsations by a reciprocating piston  596  driven by a suitable motor actuator  598 . The reciprocating piston changes the volume of a closed pressure chamber comprising a pressure vessel  598 , a duct  600 , a restrictor  602  and the space  604  between the diaphragm  592  and the chamber  590 . This closed pressure chamber can be filled with any fluid, i.e. with any liquid or gas, or combinations thereof. Thus, rotation of the motor  598  causes reciprocation of the piston  596  via the connecting link arrangement  606  and produces pressure pulsations above the diaphragm  592  which are transmitted to the air contained in the closed chamber  590 . The rotation of the motor is controlled by a variable speed controller  608  actuated from the pulse generator  136 . A system (not shown) is provided to ensure that the gas in the closed chamber  590  has a constant composition. When the pressure above the diaphragm  592  reduces as the piston moves down the cylinder bore the springs urge the diaphragm back towards a rest position. 
     The changes in pressure in the chamber  590 , i.e. the biopulsations as indicated by box  610  in FIG. 18B are transmitted to the patient&#39;s body  180 , the patient&#39;s brain  528  receives corresponding signals which affect the patient&#39;s nervous system  530  causing smooth muscle contractions  532  resulting in blood vessel pulsation  512  which is then fed back to the pulse generator via the same system as described in the previous examples, which is why the same reference numerals are used to describe the various boxes and the same description will be understood to apply. 
     It will be noted that the various embodiments of FIGS. 12 to  18  can basically operate with two different types of pulsating signal. The first type of pulsating signal is triggered by a train of impulses, as illustrated generally with reference to FIGS. 2B and 2C. It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the result of this train of impulses (when applied electrically) is to generate a single muscle contraction of longer duration illustrated by 3 in FIG.  3 . The use of a biphasic pulse is generally only considered when the patient&#39;s body is stimulated via electrodes. If it is stimulated via light pulses, then these will generally be single phase pulses, i.e. will only have a positive phase component rather than a negative phase component. If the patient is subjected to pressure pulsations, then these can be pressure pulsations resembling the biphasic signals of FIGS. 2B and 2C, or they could simply be pressure swings above a nominal pressure value, i.e. single phase signals. If a train of pulsating pressure pulses is used to stimulate muscle contraction, then it is believed that this will again have the general envelope shape shown in FIG. 3, but will have oscillations superimposed on it caused by the train of pulses. 
     It is, however, also conceivable to use just one pulse of stimulation for each cycle of the heart beat, so that the stimulating pulsation consists not of a train of pulses but of single pulses. If, for example, the stimulating source is a pressure fluctuation, then it can be understood that the single pressure pulse per heartbeat cycle resembles the single muscular contraction which it is intended to produce—as shown in FIG.  3 . When using other sources of simulating pulsations, for example a light source, it is also possible to use just a single stimulating pulse per heartbeat, rather than a train of pulses. 
     All the embodiments of FIGS. 12 to  18  could be executed using a portable pulse generator in a similar way to the embodiments of FIG. 7 or FIGS. 13A and 13B. I.e. similar small equipment and possibly radio transmission for the signals from the sensor electrode(s) can be used in place of the stationary equipment shown in the sketches. FIGS. 19 and 20 show that the present invention can also be used with a known cardiostimulator, for example in the form of a pacemaker or defibrillator. 
     In order to understand FIGS. 19A and 20, it is helpful to consider the function of a pacemaker with respect to FIG.  19 B and the function of a defibrillator with respect to FIG.  19 C. 
     FIG. 19B shows the typical ECG trace of a patient fitted with a pacemaker. The typical pacemaker patient has an irregular heart beat, which for example means that the heart misses a beat every so often. In a modern type of pacemaker, the pacemaker senses a missing heart beat and immediately triggers a stimulation signal such as  612  which causes the heart to beat just a fraction later than it would have done had the heart beat occurred at the correct time. It can be seen from this that the pacemaker effectively measures an electrocardiogram and in any event contains all the information on the repetition frequency of the R peaks necessary to trigger a pulse generator to apply stimulating signals in the counterpulsation mode in accordance with the invention. Thus, FIG. 19B shows such trains of stimulating impulses  44  at the end of the T-wave. The stimulating pulses are applied as shown in FIG. 19A to a muscle close to the patient&#39;s heart, since, in accordance with the invention, it does not matter which muscles of the peripheral vascular system are chosen to provide pressure pulsations in the peripheral vascular system which affect the heart. 
     FIG. 19C shows the situation with a patient suffering from fibrillation. For the trace shown in FIG. 19C, the first two heart beats are normal, but then the regular electrical wave, which regulates the heart beat, goes into fibrillation, i.e. the patient&#39;s heart stops beating regularly and the electrical wave fluctuates wildly. A defibrillator follows the ECG trace and recognized when a heart beat is missed and fibrillation occurs. To get the heart beating normally again, the defibrillator applies a significantly higher electrical signal  614  to the heart than is usual and it can be seen that the heart starts to beat again normally following defibrillation. 
     Thus, a defibrillator, which is another form of cardiostimulator, also follows the ECG trace of the patient to which it is fitted and thus has available all the information on the repetition frequency of the R-R peaks which is necessary for calculating the end of the T-wave and applying stimulating pulses to the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system in accordance with the present invention. Accordingly, it is possible to take a standard cardiostimulator, for example a pacemaker or a defibrillator, and to add to it circuitry, for example in accordance with FIG. 8, to enable stimulating pulses to be applied to the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system. 
     FIG. 19A shows such a combination. Here the patient&#39;s heart  178  is schematically illustrated and the cardiostimulator is indicated by reference numeral  620 . The arrow  622  represents the pacemaker following the electrical signals of the heart and the arrow  624  represents the trigger pulse sent back to the heart by the pacemaker  620  when a missing beat is sensed. 
     As mentioned above the pacemaker  620  has been supplemented with the circuitry of FIG. 8 in a miniaturized form and also has output leads  626  which lead to respective electrodes  640  and  642  provided on a muscle  628  which may be close to the heart, so that the leads do not have to extend over a substantial distance to the patient&#39;s body. Thus, the modified cardiostimulator  620  of FIG. 19A can find the timing of the R-R-peaks from the ECG trace, can calculate the end of the T-wave using the known relationship between the Q-T and R-R pulse and can time stimulating pulses  44 , so that they are initiated at the end of the T-wave to obtain the beneficial effects of the present invention. Precisely the same situation applies to the case of a defibrillator, in this case the cardiostimulator  620  in a combination of a defibrillator with the apparatus of the for example FIG. 8 of the present invention. Because the apparatus of FIG. 19A will be used for long term treatment, it is reasonable to use a plurality of active electrodes  640  (at least two) for the reasons given above. This also applies to the embodiment of FIG.  20 . 
     FIG. 20 illustrates another way of realizing the present invention in combination with a cardiostimulator  620  which again can, for example, be a pacemaker or a defibrillator. In this case the cardiostimulator  620  is supplemented by a radio transmitter  630  and this transmitter  630  transmits radio waves through the patient&#39;s body containing information on the R-R peaks or the end of the T-wave to a further apparatus  632  which is constructed in accordance with the invention, for example in accordance with FIG. 8, and is located at a different position in or on the patient&#39;s body. In this case, the apparatus  632  would include its own battery and again will transmit the required stimulating pulses to electrodes  640  and  642  affecting a muscle  628  which again produces pulses in the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system. It will be noted that the battery required for an apparatus such as  632  can readily be of the same size and type as that used for a pacemaker. Since the apparatus of the invention, for example in accordance with FIG. 8, can easily be miniaturized using modern semiconductor chip technology, the whole implanted apparatus  632  certainly need be no larger than a typical cardiostimulator and can indeed be smaller. In the embodiment of FIG. 20 the apparatus  632  and the associated electrodes can either be implanted in the patient&#39;s body or provided externally thereof. 
     Turning now to FIG. 21 there is shown another way of realizing the present invention in combination with a cardiostimulator  750 , which is here realized as a cardiomyostimulator modified to additionally satisfy the present invention. As explained above, the cardiomyostimulator  750  comprises a cardiac pacemaker  720 , which communicates with the heart  178  so that it receives electrical signals of the heart  178 , as symbolized by the arrow  722 , and sends trigger pulses back to the heart  178 , as symbolized by the arrow  724 . In addition, the cardiomyostimulator  750  includes, as known per se, a programmable divider  752  which operates to send a burst of electrical pulses beginning typically at the end of the R-wave and ending typically at the end of the T-wave to a muscle  754  wrapped around the heart via leads schematically illustrated by the line  756 . 
     As already explained above in connection with the prior art, this muscle  754 , which has to be implanted by a surgical technique, is stimulated in the simpulsation mode. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the programmable divider  752  is, however, programmed to trigger a further train of impulses which begins exactly at the end of the T-wave and to send these trains of pulses via leads  726  to any desired skeletal or smooth muscle  728 , other than a heart muscle, so that this muscle is stimulated to contract in the counterpulsation mode, thus affecting the patient&#39;s peripheral vascular system and causing cardioresonance in accordance with the invention. 
     Thus, in this version of the invention, the cardiac pacemaker  720  consists of a sensing amplifier which monitors the intrinsic heart rate as symbolized by the arrow  722  and has an output stage which paces the heart, as symbolized by the arrow  724 , as soon as the heart rate drops below a programmed value. Thus, a cardiac event can be sensed or initiated by the device as in a synchronized pacemaker. 
     Furthermore, the cardiac pacemaker  720  triggers a synchronization circuit (not shown but known per se). The trigger signals are processed through programmable divider which allows for different heart/wrapped around muscle contraction ratios within the heart muscle conglomerate ( 178 + 754 ). A delay is then initiated after which the myostimulator is enabled, sending a burst of pulses via leads  756  to the wrapped around muscle  754 . In accordance with the present teaching the programmable divider of the synchronization circuit  752  then also produces a train of pulses which are applied to electrodes provided at the muscle  728 . 
     The relationship between the pulses applied in the simpulsation mode to the wrapped around muscle  754  and the pulses which are applied to the muscle  728  in the counterpulsation mode can be seen from FIG. 22 in relationship to the ECG trace shown there. This drawing also indicates the synchronization pulse  712  associated with the pacemaker function. 
     FIG. 23 is closely similar to the arrangement of FIG. 21, but here the cardiomyosimulator  750  includes a wireless transmitter  730 , which transmits wireless signals to the receiver  732  at or close to the muscle  728 . There they are used to trigger stimulating pulses for application to the muscle  728 , in similar manner to the embodiment of FIG.  20 . In both cases, i.e. in the embodiments of FIGS. 20 and 23 the actual pulse generator is incorporated in the cardiostimulator and simply triggers stimulating pulses the power source incorporated in the receiver for application to the muscle  628  or  728  respectively. However, the respective receiver  632  or  732  could also be a part of or associated with a pulse generator located directly at the respective muscle  628  or  728 , in which case the signals transmitted to the receiver are trigger signals for the pulse generator and indeed with or without the relevant delay. 
     In the arrangements of FIGS. 21 and 23, the simpulsation of the heart muscle conglomerate ( 178 + 754 ) assists the heart pumping function and is immediately followed by the counterpulsation of the peripheral muscle  728 , which leads to increased coronary flow, oxygenation of the heart and a reduction in the heart loading. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 24A and 24B, there can be seen a practical realization of the invention in the form of a brassiere  800  provided with sensor electrodes  830  designed to produce a heart pulse rate signal and to communicate this signal to a pulse generator  836  incorporated between the two cups of the brassiere in the strap connecting them. It is stressed that the pulse generator  836  can be readily realized as a small chip. 
     The cups of the brassiere are equipped with neutral electrodes  842  and active electrodes  840  in order to apply trains of stimulating impulses produced by the pulse generator  836  to the various positions on the patient&#39;s breasts via the active electrodes  840  and neutral electrodes  842 , in similar manner to that discussed previously with reference to the embodiment of FIG.  2 A. 
     Not shown in this drawing is the electrical power source for the brassiere  800 . This can either be a small battery incorporated on the brassiere at a suitable position, for example at the point at which the two back straps meet, so as not to cause discomfort to the wearer, or it can be an external battery carried, for example, in a pocket or belt worn by the patient, which is connected by two discrete leads to the pulse generator  836  and the sensors  836 . Also not shown in the drawing are the leads between the sensors  830  and the pulse generator  836  and the leads between the pulse generator  836  and the active and neutral electrodes  840 ,  842 . It will, however, be understood that these leads can be made as very fine wires which are hardly perceptible. Although some wearers of such apparatus may not like the idea of radiotransmission signals close to their heart, it is also perfectly conceivable for the signals sent from the sensor(s)  830  to the pulse generator  836  to be transmitted as wireless signals rather than by wire. 
     With regard to the electrodes  840  and  842 , these are preferably worked into the brassiere so that they have contact with the skin of the wearers&#39; breasts. They are preferably detachable and replaceable for hygienic reasons and to facilitate washing. The position of the electrodes is selected so that they have optimum positions to firm the breast muscle and tissue having regard to the design of the brassiere and its size. 
     Finally, FIGS. 25A,  25 B and  25 C show the realization of the invention in combination with a seat which may be a vehicle seat, such as an aircraft seat or a car seat or it may be a chair used in the patient&#39;s home, at work, in a clinic or in a cinema or elsewhere. 
     The seat  900  comprises a backrest  901  and a seat base  903 . In this case two belts are provided, namely a belt  906  resembling the elastic chest bandage of FIG. 7, but incorporated into the backrest  901  and having at least one heart pulse rate sensor  953  and a wireless transmission unit  955  for transmitting a signal corresponding to the heart pulse rate to a receiver  957  incorporated into a pulse generator  956 . The pulse generator  956  may have an inbuilt battery or may be connected to another source of electricity provided in the vehicle or in the building in which the seat is located. 
     In this design flat inflatable pressure pads  902  are provided and can be incorporated into the seat base  903  and/or into the backrest  901  and/or into a stomach or waist belt  905 . 
     For the seat  900  it is important that the piping problems are solved. One way of doing this is for any flexible piping that is required, such as  907 , to be provided beneath two overlapping flaps of material  909 ,  910 , which can be closed with a Velcro-type fastener  911 . The best analogy is a cable duct that can be opened at any location to allow the cables to come out so as to avoid loose cables, the opening being as small as possible, as in the proposed arrangement, where the opening is defined by the overlapping flaps. Thus, the seat could have any number of built-in flexible pipes  907  arranged beneath two overlapping flaps. Pressure pads such as  902  can be attached via their own Velcro-attachments at any location close to a piping run so that a minimum of loose piping extends between the electrodes and the belt  905 . The seat can be any seat in which a person usually sits for a long period of time, such as in a car, an aircraft, in the office etc. 
     FIGS. 25A to C show a particularly flexible design of the seat  900  incorporating the present invention. The backrest  901  and the seat base  903  both comprise a plurality of removable strips  960 ,  962  comprising empty strips  960  and active strips  962 . Both the empty strips  960  and the active strips  962 , which are each generally rectangular in plan view, are provided with one part of the Velcro-type fastener (registered trademark)  964  at their rear side, which can mesh with a mating Velcro-type fastener element (not shown) provided over substantially the full area of a recess  966  provided in the backrest  901  and over the full area of a recess  968  provided in the seat base  903 . The depth of each recess  966  and  968  respectively corresponds substantially to the thickness of the strips  960  and  962 , so that when these are accommodated in the respective recess  966 ,  968 , the outer exposed surfaced of the empty strips  960  and of the active strips  962  generally follow the desired contour of the backrest  901  and seat base  903  respectively. 
     So far as the active strips  962  are concerned, these are provided with Velcro-type fastener elements enabling pressure pads  902  to be positioned at any desired point along the strip, and areas between the pressure pad and not occupied by the pressure pads can be covered up by cover elements  970 . 
     This design provides great flexibility. The user can, for example, place the active strips at any position vertically along the backrest or horizontally along the seat base, which is most comfortable for him or where a medical practitioner advises that the pressure pad is best suited to his or her physiology. Spaces not occupied by active strips can then be filled with empty strips so as to maintain the desired degree of comfort of the seat. 
     The pressure pads  902  can then be placed in the transverse direction, i.e. as indicated by the double arrow X, anywhere along the actives trips where treatment is desired. The double arrow Y shows how the position of the active strips can be varied in either direction between the front and back of the seat base. Similarly, the double arrow Z indicates how the active strips can be positioned at any desired height between the bottom and top of the backrest. 
     Thus, using this design in accordance with the invention, the seat can be easily tailored to specific individuals and amended as desired to vary the treatment if necessary. As is evident from FIG. 25 b , specially the cross-sectional representation shown to the right of the elongate plan view, the piping  907  can be run in cutouts within the active strips  962  and does not therefore disturb the comfort of the seat, even when it is not in use. 
     The pressure pads can easily be made so that they can be plugged together with the piping at any desired location, and the piping can be terminated with a simple plug if the end of a particular pipe is not in use for whatever reason. 
     The chest belt  906  can have two or more sensor electrodes with built in radiotransmitters if desired, which transmit to a receiver built into the pulse generator. The stomach/waist belt  905  is an optional extra, and is preferably elasticized with any piping required, for example with the pressure pads being located inside it. The use of Velcro-type fasteners for the attachment of the pressure pads means that they can be positioned at almost any desired position of the seat base  903 , or the backrest  901  or the belts  905 , 906  and connected via piping hidden in the seat and/or in the stomach/waist belt  905  to the pulse generator  936 . 
     A seat in accordance with the invention can be used to produce pressure pad induced stimulation for a variety of purposes such as: 
     antipain treatment for an aching back 
     to burn body fat on the stomach or buttocks 
     to strengthen stomach and/or back muscles 
     to stimulate and unload the heart by way of counteracting the possibility of cardiac failure 
     to calm down the patient, overcome stress and give him a feeling of general well-being 
     to build immunological resistance and generate endorphines. 
     Thus, generally speaking, the seat can be generally used for stress relief, in particular when people are forced to sit in it for several hours continuously. 
     The use of Velcro-type fasteners for the attachment of electrodes is also possible with the brassiere embodiment of FIGS. 24A and 24B. Thus, here the detachable electrodes can be attached with Velcro-type fasteners at any desired positions within the cups in order to firm the breast muscles or tissue. The brassiere embodiment has the further advantage that it can be used at any time of day and night and thus can also operate continuously while the patient is sleeping. Its function here is not only to firm breast muscles and tissues by cardioresonance electrostimulation, but also to stimulate and unload the heart, to generate endorphines and to improve the patient&#39;s immunological resistance. 
     Finally, it should be noted that the arrangement of FIGS. 2A,  4 ,  5 ,  6  and  9  is currently the best known mode of performing the invention on an inpatient. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 8 currently represents the best known mode of performing the invention on an outpatient. The date storage option is only used when the patient is being treated by a therapist or a skilled person, i.e. for a cardiovascular disorder. For the training of athletes or for body shaping it is considered unnecessary. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 20 is currently considered the best known mode of treating a patient with a heart disorder requiring a pacemaker or a defibrillator.