Claims for Patent: 4,849,226

Summary for Patent: 4,849,226

Title:	Method for increasing oxygen supply by administering vasodilator
Abstract:	A medical bandage is disclosed comprising a reservoir containing a gelled fluid, rheological agent and a drug. A method of using the bandage for producing a beneficial effect is disclosed also.
Inventor(s):	Gale; Robert M. (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee:	Alza Corporation (Palo Alto, CA)
Application Number:	07/132,828
Patent Claims:	1. A method for increasing the supply of oxygen to the heart of a warm-blooded animal, which method comprises: (a) administering a vasodilator to an animal having symptoms indicating interference with the supply of oxygen, said vasodilator being administered from a medical bandage positioned topically on the animal, the bandage comprising: (1) a backing member that is substantially impermeable to the passage of drug; (2) a reservoir comprising a gelled fluid, a rheological agent, and a vasodilator that dilates arteries and arterioles for increasing the flow of blood and concomitantly the supply of oxygen to the heart; and, (3) a rate controlling membrane in contact with the backing member to provide an area comprising the reservoir, which membrane comprises a composition that is permeable to the passage of the vasodilator and aids in governing its rate of release from the bandage; and, (b) increasing the supply of oxygen by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vasodilator thereto to produce the beneficial result. 2. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the gelled fluid is gelled silicone fluid. 3. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the rheological agent is silicon dioxide. 4. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 3 wherein the silicon dioxide is selected from the group consisting of fumed silicon dioxide, and colloidal silicone dioxide. 5. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the rate controlling membrane is ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 6. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the backing member comprises a lamina of polyethylene laminated to a lamina of aluminized polyethylene-terephthalate which is laminated to a lamina of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 7. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1, wherein the backing member comprises a lamina of aluminized polyethylene-terephthalate, a lamina of an ionomer and a lamina of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 8. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive is on the rate controlling membrane for holding the bandage on the animal. 9. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1, wherein the warm-blooded animal is a human, and the vasodilator transdermally enters into the systemic circulation. 10. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1, wherein the backing member is sealed to the rate controlling membrane and the vasodilator is administered in a therapeutically effective amount of about 10 .mu.g/hr to 2000 .mu.g/hr. 11. The method or increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the vasodilator is nitroglycerin. 12. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the vasodilator is nitroglycerin and it is administered to the animal at the rate of 20 .mu.g/hr to 1200 .mu.g/hr. 13. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein a lamina comprising an adhesive and a protective liner is in contact with the rate controlling membrane and the liner is peeled from the bandage before it is applied topically to the animal. 14. The method for increasing the supply of oxygen according to claim 1 wherein the bandage administers a therapeutically effective priming amount of vasodilator to the animal.