Donald L Hopper

US Patent:

6411850, Jun 25, 2002

Filed:

Sep 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/408623

Inventors:

G. Neal Kay - Birmingham AL
Donald L. Hopper - Maple Grove MN
Jan-Pieter Heemells - Zaventem, BE
Jeff Hall - Birmingham AL

Assignee:

UAB Research Foundation - Birmingham AL

International Classification:

A61N 136

US Classification:

607 20, 607 19

Abstract:

A method for automatically determining the ventilatory (or âanaerobicâ) threshold breakpoint for adaptive rate pacing without the need for directly measuring anaerobic threshold or ventilatory threshold comprises: (a) positioning a first sensing electrode in the heart or superior vena cava of a patient carrying an implanted pacemaker, the first sensing electrode connected to the implanted pacemaker; (b) positioning a second sensing electrode in the thoracic region of the patient and spaced apart from the first sensing electrode; (c) determining the chest wall impedance of the patient between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode; (d) measuring the ventilation (e. g. , the minute ventilation) of the subject from the chest wall impedance during submaximal exercise by the patient; and then (e) determining the ventilatory threshold breakpoint of the patient from the measured ventilation. In the pacemaker, the adaptive rate pacing is preferably based on measured chest wall impedance, with pacing rate increasing as exercise or metabolic activity sensed thereby increases.

US Patent:

6459929, Oct 1, 2002

Filed:

Apr 12, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/547519

Inventors:

Donald L. Hopper - Maple Grove MN
Jeffrey E. Stahmann - Ramsey MN
Bruce R. Jones - Hopkins MN
James P. Nelson - Lino Lakes MN

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61B 50205

US Classification:

600513, 600510, 607 18, 607 20

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for providing congestive heart failure therapy status. An electronic device, preferably a cardiac rhythm management device, capable of measuring transthoracic impedance and for sensing a level of physical activity is implanted in a patient. The transthoracic impedance signal is processed to obtain an estimate of the subjects minute ventilation, respiratory rate, tidal volume, inspiratory rate and expiratory rate. From accelerometer measured activity, an estimate is obtained of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and work rate. Ratios of tidal volume to respiratory rate, tidal volume to inspiratory time, tidal volume to expiratory time, heart rate to minute ventilation, respiratory rate to minute ventilation, tidal volume to minute ventilation, minute ventilation to oxygen uptake, minute ventilation to carbon dioxide production, minute ventilation to work rate, heart rate to work rate, oxygen uptake to heart rate and other ratios are meaningful status indicators for assessing the efficacy of particular therapy regimens to CHF patients.

US Patent:

6823214, Nov 23, 2004

Filed:

Sep 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/657402

Inventors:

Weimin Sun - Plymouth MN
Bruce R. Jones - Hopkins MN
Douglas J. Lang - Arden Hills MN
Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61N 118

US Classification:

607 17, 607 18, 607 19

Abstract:

A system and method for automatically adjusting the operating parameters of a rate-adaptive cardiac pacemaker. In accordance with the method, maximum exertion levels attained by the patient are measured at periodic intervals and stored. The stored maximum exertion levels may then be used to update a long-term maximal exertion level, and the slope of the rate-response curve is adjusted to map the updated long-term maximal exertion level to a maximum allowable pacing rate. The stored maximum exertion levels may also be used to update a sensor target rate which is used to adjust the slope of the rate response curve.

US Patent:

6839593, Jan 4, 2005

Filed:

Sep 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/657404

Inventors:

Weimin Sun - Plymouth MN, US
Bruce R. Jones - Hopkins MN, US
Douglas J. Lang - Arden Hills MN, US
Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN, US

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61N 118

US Classification:

607 17, 600520

Abstract:

A system and method for automatically adjusting the operating parameters of a rate-adaptive cardiac pacemaker in which maximum exertion levels attained by the patient are measured at periodic intervals and stored. The stored maximum exertion levels may then be used to update a long-term maximal exertion level, and the slope of the rate-response curve is adjusted to map the updated long-term maximal exertion level to a maximum allowable pacing rate. In accordance with the invention, the rate response curve is defined such that an exertion level corresponding to the patient's maximum exercise capacity would be mapped to a physiologically favorable maximum rate that is independent from a specified maximum sensor indicated rate.

US Patent:

7079897, Jul 18, 2006

Filed:

May 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/839875

Inventors:

Weimin Sun - Plymouth MN, US
Bruce R. Jones - Hopkins MN, US
Douglas J. Lang - Arden Hills MN, US
Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN, US

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - Saint Paul MN

International Classification:

A61N 1/18

US Classification:

607 19

Abstract:

A system and method for automatically adjusting the operating parameters of a rate-adaptive cardiac pacemaker. In accordance with the method, maximum exertion levels attained by the patient are measured at periodic intervals and stored. The stored maximum exertion levels may then be used to update a long-term maximal exertion level, and the slope of the rate-response curve is adjusted to map the updated long-term maximal exertion level to a maximum allowable pacing rate. The stored maximum exertion levels may also be used to update a sensor target rate which is used to adjust the slope of the rate response curve.

US Patent:

7142920, Nov 28, 2006

Filed:

May 25, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/853574

Inventors:

Avram Scheiner - Vadnais Heights MN, US
Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN, US

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61N 1/30

US Classification:

607 17

Abstract:

An implantable cardiac device with an exertion level sensor is programmed to determine a heart rate appropriate for a given measured exertion level in accordance with a physiological model and/or previously collected physiologic data. The device then compares the model's heart rate with a measured intrinsic heart rate. Based upon this data, the device is able to recognize changes in the patient's heart rate response and predict or recognize a chronotropically incompetent condition.

US Patent:

7389143, Jun 17, 2008

Filed:

Aug 12, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/917235

Inventors:

Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN, US
Bruce Wilkoff - Chagrin Falls OH, US
Richard Morris - Hinckley OH, US

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61N 1/08

US Classification:

607 19, 607 18

Abstract:

An implantable cardiac device is configured and programmed to assess a patient's cardiopulmonary function by evaluating the patient's minute ventilation response. Such evaluation may be performed by computing a minute ventilation response slope, defined as the ratio of an incremental change in minute ventilation to an incremental change in measured activity level. The minute ventilation response slope may then be compared with a normal range to assess the patient's functional status.

US Patent:

7480528, Jan 20, 2009

Filed:

Jul 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/897856

Inventors:

Marina Brockway - Shoreview MN, US
Donald Hopper - Maple Grove MN, US
Gerrard M. Carlson - Champlin MN, US
Veerichetty Kadhiresan - Centerville MN, US
Kenneth Beck - Shoreview MN, US

Assignee:

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

A61B 5/0402

US Classification:

600513

Abstract:

A system receives signals indicative of cardiopulmonary conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors and provides for monitoring and automated differential diagnosis of the cardiopulmonary conditions based on the signals. Cardiogenic pulmonary edema is detected based on one or more signals sensed by implantable sensors. If the cardiogenic pulmonary edema is not detected, obstructive pulmonary disease and restrictive pulmonary disease are each detected based on a forced vital capacity (FVC) parameter and a forced expiratory volume (FEV) parameter measured from a respiratory signal sensed by an implantable or non-implantable sensor. In one embodiment, an implantable medical device senses signals indicative of the cardiopulmonary conditions, and an external system detects the cardiopulmonary conditions based on these signals by executing an automatic detection algorithm.