NERVE STIMULATION METHODS FOR AVERTING IMMINENT ONSET OR EPISODE OF A DISEASE

摘要

Transcutaneous electrical and magnetic nerve stimulation devices are disclosed, along with methods of averting imminent medical attacks using energy that is delivered noninvasively by the devices. The attacks comprise asthma attack, epileptic seizure, attacks of migraine headache, transient ischemic attack or stroke, onset of atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, onset of ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, panic attack, and attacks of acute depression. The imminence of an attack is forecasted using grey-box or black-box models as used in control theory. In preferred embodiments of the disclosed methods, a vagus nerve in the neck of a patient is stimulated noninvasively to avert the attack.

主权项

1. A method of averting the onset of an acute medical event in a patient, comprising: using one or more sensors to detect physiological and/or environmental signals within, on, and/or about the patient; using values of said signals to forecast the onset of the acute medical event; positioning a device adjacent to a skin surface of the patient; generating one or more electrical impulses with the device; and transmitting the electrical impulses to selected nerve fibers in the patient to treat the acute medical event.