Patent ID: 7717855

Claim:
A system for remote ischemic preconditioning, the system comprising: a cuff configured to retract about a limb of a subject; an actuator connected to the cuff and that, when actuated, causes the cuff to contract about the limb of the subject to reduce blood flow there through; and a controller that controls the actuator to operate according to a treatment protocol that includes a plurality of sequentially actuated treatment cycles, each treatment cycle comprising: cuff actuation, during which the actuator contracts the cuff about the limb of the subject to a pressure above systolic pressure to occlude blood flow through the limb; an ischemic duration, during which the actuator maintains the cuff contracted about the limb at a set point above systolic pressure to occlude blood flow through the limb, the ischemic duration lasting for at least about a minute; cuff release, during which the actuator releases the cuff to allow blood flow through the limb; and a reperfusion duration, during which the cuff is maintained in an at least partially relaxed state to allow blood flow through the limb, the reperfusion duration lasting for at least one minute.