Patent ID: 7747302

Claim:
A method for the integrated facilitization of blood flow and monitoring of blood analyte concentration comprising: implanting a stent configured for implantation into a cardiovascular system of a user's body, the stent having a longitudinal centerline and configured to facilitate blood flow, the stent having attached thereto a continuous blood analyte determination module of a blood analyte monitoring system; disposing a reader module of the blood analyte monitoring system external to the user's body and in proximity to a portion of the user's skin layer; monitoring a blood analyte concentration using the reader module and the continuous blood analyte determination module, wherein the monitoring step is accomplished by: emitting an RF carrier signal from a first antenna of the reader module toward the stent; receiving the RF carrier signal at a reflection antenna of the continuous blood analyte determination module; reflecting a modulated signal by the reflection antenna wherein the modulated signal is encoded with a blood analyte concentration determined by a sensor of the continuous blood analyte determination module; receiving the modulated signal by a second antenna of the reader module; and decoding the analyte concentration from the modulated signal by the reader module; and wherein the first antenna and second antenna are configured such that an RF carrier signal angle β and a modulated signal angle α are both less than about 30 degrees with respect to the stent center line.