Methods to trigger high amplitude oscillations or resonance in the cardiovascular system of a patient using electrical stimulation

摘要

Various embodiments of and methods for providing external therapeutic electrical stimulation to a patient are disclosed and described. Therapeutic external electrical stimulation is provided to at least one location on a patient's skin, or through clothing or a layer disposed next to the patient's skin, and is configured to trigger or induce resonance or high amplitude oscillations in a cardiovascular system of the patient. Inducing such resonance can aid in training autonomic reflexes and improve their functioning.

主权项

1. A method of providing external electrical stimulation therapy to a patient, comprising:
determining a resonance frequency of a cardiovascular system associated with the patient; determining parameters for at least one electrical stimulation signal based on the resonance frequency of the cardiovascular system associated with the patient, wherein the parameters include a first time period associated with a first type of electrical stimulation signal and a second time period associated with a second type of electrical stimulation signal and wherein a third period that is equivalent to a combination of the first time period and the second time period and that is also equivalent to the resonance frequency of the cardiovascular system of the patient; and electrically inducing the resonance frequency in the cardiovascular system associated with the patient by repetitively delivering at least one electrical stimulation signal having the determined parameters to at least one location on the patient's skin or a layer disposed next to the patient's skin; wherein the electrical stimulation signal includes (i) the first type of the electrical stimulation signal being successively delivered to the patient over the first time period and (ii) the second type of the electrical stimulation signal being delivered to the patient over the second time period, the second time period being interposed between instances of the first time period.