Wearable Biosensor Device to Treat Opioid Indused Respiratory Depression

Altair Medical has launched ‘RESPMETERTM’, a new wearable biosensor device that can detect Opioid Indused Respiratory Depression (OIRD), a common and often fatal side effect of using opioid drugs.

The biosensor monitors the respiratory patterns and analyses those using proprietary algorithms.When the OIRD is detected in the wearer, it sends designated emergency services or responders, who can then intervene by administering naloxone.This exceptional effective antidote has a very huge success rate, reviving the person within seconds.

The opioid-related adverse effects include respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting, constipation, tolerance, sedation, and addiction/abuse liability.

Significant risk factors for postoperative OIRD are female sex, cardiac disease, hypertension, presence of obstructive sleep apnea, renal disease, elderly, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity,use of patient-controlled analgesia, two or more comorbidities, different routes of administration of opioids and concomitant administration of sedatives, neurologic disease, opioid dependence.

The majority of patients with OIRD are inadequately monitored and deeply sedated and the dose of opioids should be carefully titrated in patients with underlying risk factors. In the first 24 hours after surgery, enhanced monitoring of sedation level, pulse oximetry, and capnography, respiratory rate is needed.

OIRD is now the largest cause of accidental death-causing 1,000 deaths every week in the most developed countries such as the UK and the USA.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its breakthrough designation for the device.