Stimulation device and method for treating cardiovascular disease

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9227079-B2
Application number	US-201414197356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 19, 2009
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A stimulation device and method for treating cardiovascular disease in a human or an animal is provided, the method including placing a magnetic pulse application unit including a coil on a skin surface of a region of the human or the animal, and generating magnetic pulses around the coil, wherein the magnetic pulses induce currents in tissues in the region to stimulate a vagus nerve. The region may be a neck region or a chest region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for treating cardiovascular disease in a human or an animal, the method comprising:
placing a magnetic pulse application unit including a coil on a skin surface of a region of the human or the animal; and
generating magnetic pulses around the coil, the magnetic pulses inducing currents in tissues in the region of the human or the animal to stimulate a vagus nerve,
wherein the generating magnetic pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve is performed in conjunction with reperfusion therapy, wherein the cardiovascular disease is acute myocardial infarction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the region is a neck region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the region is a chest region.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cooling the coil by providing an air flow along a winding of the coil.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve starts before the reperfusion therapy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses comprises generating magnetic pulses so as to obtain more than 5% decrease in heart rate of the human or the animal when the magnetic pulses are applied compared to the heart rate when the magnetic pulses are not applied.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses comprises generating magnetic pulses with a frequency in a range between 5 Hz and 30 Hz.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses comprises generating a plurality of pulse trains with an inter-train interval for a time duration in a range between 0.5 hours and 96 hours.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses comprises generating the pulse train for a time duration in a range between 6 seconds and 20 seconds and the inter-train interval in a range between 40 seconds and 54 seconds.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the generating magnetic pulses comprises generating magnetic pulses having an amplitude and a time variation to induce the currents of about 15 mA/cm 2 in the tissues.

11. A magnetic stimulation device for treating cardiovascular disease in a human or an animal comprising:
a magnetic pulse application unit including a coil configured for placement on a skin surface of a region of the human or the animal; and
a magnetic pulse generation unit coupled to the magnetic pulse application unit and configured to generate magnetic pulses around the coil, the magnetic pulses inducing currents in tissues in the region of the human or the animal to stimulate a vagus nerve,
wherein the cardiovascular disease is acute myocardial infarction, and the magnetic stimulation device is used in conjunction with reperfusion therapy.

12. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the region is a neck region.

13. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the region is a chest region.

14. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a cooling unit coupled to the magnetic pulse application unit and configured to provide an air flow along a winding of the coil to cool the coil.

15. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled to generate magnetic pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve before the reperfusion therapy.

16. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a control unit configured to control the magnetic pulse generation unit for generation of the magnetic pulses.

17. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled for generation of the magnetic pulses so as to obtain more than 5% decrease in heart rate of the human or the animal when the magnetic pulses are applied compared to the heart rate when the magnetic pulses are not applied.

18. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled for generation of the magnetic pulses with a frequency in a range between 5 Hz and 30 Hz.

19. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled to generate a plurality of pulse trains with an inter-train interval for a time duration in a range between 0.5 hours and 96 hours.

20. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 19 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled to generate the pulse train for a time duration in a range between 6 seconds and 20 seconds and the inter-train interval in a range between 40 seconds and 54 seconds.

21. The magnetic stimulation device of claim 11 , wherein
the magnetic pulse generation unit is configured to be controlled to generate the magnetic pulses having an amplitude and a time variation to induce the currents of about 15 mA/cm 2 in the tissues.

Assignees

• Univ Kyushu Nat Univ Corp

Inventors

• Sunagawa Kenji
• Ide Tomomi

Classifications

• A61N2/02 Primary

  using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets (A61N2/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61N1/36171

  Frequency · CPC title

• A61N2/006

  for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue · CPC title

• A61N1/36117

  for treating hypertension · CPC title

• A61N1/36053

  adapted for vagal stimulation (A61N1/36114 takes precedence) · CPC title