Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080200960 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TREATING SUPRAVENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIAS - In various method embodiments, a supraventricular arrhythmia event is detected, and a supraventricular arrhythmia treatment, including neural stimulation to elicit a sympathetic response, is delivered in response to a detected supraventricular arrhythmia event. Some embodiments detect a precursor for a supraventricular arrhythmia episode, and deliver prophylactic neural stimulation to avoid the supraventricular arrhythmia event. Some embodiments detect a supraventricular arrhythmia episode, and deliver therapeutic neural stimulation for the supraventricular arrhythmia event. | 08-21-2008 |
20080221634 | Fibrillation/Tachycardia Monitoring and Preventive System and Methodology - A cardiac assist device senses conditions of a heart and controls the generation of various electrical stimuli in response to sense conditions of the heart. The cardiac assist device generates a electrical pulse so as to defibrillate a fibrillated heart when the cardiac assist device determines from the sensed conditions a state of fibrillation. The cardiac assist device generates a chaos control electrical signal so as to bring a pre-fibrillated heart condition back into a normal beating condition when the cardiac assist device determines from the sensed conditions a pre-state of fibrillation. Lastly, the cardiac assist device generates an electrical enhancement signal that causes a threshold of pacing cells in the heart to be exceeded in response to a subthreshold stimulus when the cardiac assist device determines from the sensed conditions a subthreshold pacing signal. | 09-11-2008 |
20080249584 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CARDIOSYMPATHETIC INHIBITION - Described herein are methods and devices that utilize electrical neural stimulation for inhibiting cardiosympathetic activity in order to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. In one embodiment, one or more stimulating electrodes are disposed near the left stellate ganglion. An implantable pulse generator delivers neural stimulation to the electrodes in a manner that inhibits activity of the ganglionic tissue. | 10-09-2008 |
20080262558 | PATIENT CHARACTERISTIC BASED ADAPTIVE ANTI-TACHY PACING PROGRAMMING - A system including at least one implantable sensor circuit adapted to produce an electrical sensor signal related to one or more physiologic cardiovascular events of a subject, a therapy circuit configured to provide anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy, and a controller. The controller includes a tachyarrhythmia detection circuit and an efficacy circuit. The tachyarrhythmia detection circuit is configured to detect a tachyarrhythmia episode in the subject using the electrical sensor signal, and to determine whether the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type that is treatable with ATP. The efficacy circuit is configured to estimate an efficacy of a currently configured ATP therapy for the subject, and the controller is configured to alter a delivery regimen of the currently configured ATP therapy when the estimated ATP therapy efficacy is deemed insufficient. Other systems and methods are described. | 10-23-2008 |
20080269819 | DISCRIMINATION OF SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA FROM VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA - An implantable medical device and associated method discriminate between ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia. Cardiac signals are sensed for detecting ventricular intervals corresponding to a tachycardia. Electrical stimulation pulses are delivered to cardiac neural tissue and verified as being effective in exciting the cardiac neural tissue. If the ventricular intervals corresponding to the tachycardia are increased in response to delivering stimulation pulses to the cardiac neural tissue, the tachycardia is detected as a supraventricular tachycardia. | 10-30-2008 |
20080281370 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HEART FAILURE INDICATION BASED ON HEART RATE, ONSET AND TACHYARRHYTHMIA - An indication of an actual or potential heart failure condition is computed. One example includes monitoring a first heart rate preceding a first onset of a first sinus tachyarrhythmia episode. Upon detecting the first sinus tachyarrhythmia episode, the indication is automatically provided using information about the first heart rate and how quickly the first onset occurs. | 11-13-2008 |
20080300642 | REGENERATION TREATMENT APPARATUS, OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, AND REGENERATION TREATMENT METHOD - The cell viability in cell transplantation is improved so as to achieve sufficient repair of organ. There is provided a regeneration treatment apparatus comprising: a heart rate detector which detects a heart rate of a patient; a memory part which stores a heart rate prior to stimulation; stimulating electrodes which stimulate a vagus nerve that controls an organ having transplanted cells; and a control unit which controls an intensity of a stimulation signal to be output from the stimulating electrodes to the vagus nerve so that the heart rate of the patient detected by the heart rate detector is decreased by 5 to | 12-04-2008 |
20080312710 | IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC DEVICE PROVIDING INTRINSIC CONDUCTION SEARCH WITH PREMATURE ATRIAL CONTRACTION PROTECTION AND METHOD - The extended AV interval of an auto intrinsic conduction search of an implantable cardiac stimulation device has premature atrial contraction protection. A timer times a base AV interval and the extended AV interval. If the heart is paced with the extended AV interval and a premature atrial contraction is detected, the extended AV interval is maintained. Once a predetermined number of consecutive premature atrial contractions are detected, the extended AV interval is reset to the base AV interval. | 12-18-2008 |
20090005828 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING INTRINSIC REENTRANT TACHYCARDIA - An implantable medical device is provided that comprises a pulse generator that provides atrial and ventricular pacing pulses on demand. The pulse generator times delivery of the ventricular pacing pulses based on an AV pacing interval. The device also includes an AV hysteresis module that extends the AV interval from a base AV interval to an extended AV interval to promote intrinsic heart activity. A refractory module establishes a PVARP interval equal to base PVARP interval following at least one of the ventricular pacing pulses. The refractory module lengthens the PVARP interval by adding a PVARP extension to a base PVARP interval to provide an extended PVARP interval. The device further includes a reentrant conduction detector that identifies an intrinsic reentrant tachycardia having a retrograde P wave occurring during the PVARP extension, based on one or more of i) a retrograde P wave, ii) intrinsic R waves sensed over N cardiac cycles at an R to R interval above a rate threshold and iii) one or more of PR and RP intervals that exceed PR and RP thresholds. | 01-01-2009 |
20090018595 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EMPLOYING MULTIPLE FILTERS TO DETECT T-WAVE OVERSENSING AND TO IMPROVE TACHYARRHYTHMIA DETECTION WITHIN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - Techniques are described for detecting tachyarrhythmia and also for preventing T-wave oversensing using a narrowband bradycardia filter in combination with a narrowband tachycardia filter. In some embodiments, a separate wideband filter is also exploited. In one illustrative example, ventricular tachycardia (VT) is detected by: detecting a preliminary indication of VT using signals filtered by the bradycardia filter and, in response, confirming the detection of VT using signals filtered by the tachycardia filter. That is, the bradycardia filter, traditionally used only to detect bradycardia, is additionally used to provide a preliminary indication of VT. The tachycardia filter is then activated to confirm the detection of VT before therapy is delivered. In this manner, the tachycardia filter need not run continuously, but is instead activated only when there is some indication of possible VT, and hence power is saved. Numerous other exemplary techniques are set forth herein for arrhythmia detection and for T-wave oversensing detection. | 01-15-2009 |
20090054943 | Methods and apparatus to treat and prevent atrial tachyarrhythmias - The invention provides a cardiac rhythm management system which includes a tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit programmed to detect and classify a tachyarrhythmia, a biologic therapy delivery device configured to deliver or regulate an expression cassette suitable for terminating or preventing atrial fibrillation (AF), and a control circuit coupled to the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit and the biologic therapy delivery device. Also provided is an implantable medical device for use in a body having a cardiovascular system, which includes an implantable device body including at least a cardiovascular portion configured to be in the cardiovascular system, and an expression cassette incorporated into the cardiovascular portion of the implantable device body, the expression cassette selected to express a gene product that terminates or prevents AF. Further provided are methods which employ particular expression cassettes to prevent, inhibit or treat AF. | 02-26-2009 |
20090088813 | Cardiac Rhythm Management Device - A medical device for implantation on an epicardial surface of the heart. The device has a transmural member providing optimal electrode locations for various therapies. The hemodynamically optimal therapy is guided by sensed left ventricular pressure and electrical activity. The device may be used alone or with a companion implanted cardiac rhythm management device. | 04-02-2009 |
20090143834 | AUTOMATIC BAROREFLEX MODULATION RESPONSIVE TO ADVERSE EVENT - An aspect of the present subject matter relates to a system for providing baroreflex stimulation. An embodiment of the system comprises an adverse event detector to sense an adverse event and provide a signal indicative of the adverse event, and a baroreflex stimulator. The stimulator includes a pulse generator to provide a baroreflex stimulation signal adapted to provide a baroreflex therapy, and a modulator to receive the signal indicative of the adverse event and modulate the baroreflex stimulation signal based on the signal indicative of the adverse event to change the baroreflex therapy from a first baroreflex therapy to a second baroreflex therapy. Other aspects are provided herein. | 06-04-2009 |
20090204163 | METHODS OF MONITORING HEMODYNAMIC STATUS FOR RHYTHM DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE HEART - Systems and methods of performing rhythm discrimination within a patient's body using sensed hemodynamic signals are disclosed. The method can include the steps of receiving an electrical activity signal from an electrode located within or near the heart, detecting an event of the heart based on the received electrical activity signal, sensing one or more mechanical measurements using a sensor located within the body, analyzing a mechanical activity signal received from the sensor, and confirming the type of event based on the mechanical and electrical activity signals. The sensor can comprise a single pressure sensor configured to sense both atrial and ventricular activity within the heart. | 08-13-2009 |
20090216290 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA - A method and device for treating an electrical problem in an organ, especially a heart, of a human or animal patient comprises atraumatically blocking the transmission of one or more electrical signals external to the organ. Nerve cell membranes near a cathode are depolarized while nerve cell membranes near an anode are hyperpolarized, inducing a DC conduction block. The method and device are especially suitable for treating atrial tachycardia where unwanted signals from at least one pulmonary vein and/or at least one fat pad are blocked within the construct of the heart. | 08-27-2009 |
20090240299 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REFLEX CARDIAC PACING - Solid state piezoelectric or Lorentzian components are utilized to generate electrical energy in an implanted device. The energy generated from tissue displacement is stored and made available for use as a cardiac pacing charge to be delivered by the device when a triggering condition, such as an arrhythmia is detected. A plurality of implanted devices can be used to collectively provide one or more pacing charges. | 09-24-2009 |
20090240300 | DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FOR SVT AND VT CLASSIFICATION - A device for classifying of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) from ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) comprising means for providing a template signal and a test signal originated from an electrogram, the template signal and the test signal comprising samples, means for transforming at least the test signal resulting in a representation of the test signal where the sample values of the signal take integers, means for determining a correlation between the template signal and the test signal and means for classifying of SVT from ventricular VT based on the correlation. | 09-24-2009 |
20090259269 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND TREATING TACHYARRHYTHMIAS INCORPORATING DIAGNOSTIC/THERAPEUTIC PACING TECHNIQUES - An implantable medical device (IMD) and methods of operating the same to treat a tachyarrhythmia are disclosed herein. In accordance with this method, an arrhythmia of the heart is classified based on one or more supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) rejection rules, which differentiate between a first group of heart rhythms that do not require treatment and a second group of heart rhythms that possibly require treatment. Diagnostic/therapeutic pacing can then be performed to further discriminate the second group of heart rhythms as being within a first sub-group of heart rhythms and a second sub-group of heart rhythms which are to be treated by applying a ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) therapy sequence. In another implementation, the order in which the IMD performs diagnostic/therapeutic pacing and analyzes passive detection and classification criteria can be reversed. | 10-15-2009 |
20090259270 | CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT FOR FETAL, NEONATAL, AND/OR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS - A method including inserting an electrode into an umbilical vein, and advancing the electrode through the umbilical vein to a location near or in a heart. In an example, the electrode is inserted into an umbilical vein in utero. In another example, the electrode is inserted into an umbilical vein in a child soon after the child is born. In an example, the electrode is connected to a lead. In an example, a lead is inserted through a catheterized umbilicus. | 10-15-2009 |
20090270935 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVELY STIMULATING NERVE ROOTS - Various system embodiments comprise an implantable lead, an implantable housing, a neural stimulation circuit in the housing, and a controller in the housing and connected to the neural stimulation circuit. The lead has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is adapted to deliver neural stimulation pulses to the ventral nerve root and the dorsal nerve root. The proximal end of the lead is adapted to connect to the housing. The neural stimulation circuit is adapted to generate neural stimulation pulses to stimulate the ventral nerve root or the dorsal nerve root using the implantable lead. The controller is adapted to control the neural stimulation circuit to deliver a neural stimulation treatment. | 10-29-2009 |
20090287268 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED ARRHYTHMIA DISCRIMINATION - A non-implanted system receives, from an implantable cardiac device implanted within a patient, data corresponding to detected potential episodes of tachycardia. A representation of the data corresponding to the detected potential episodes of tachycardia is displayed to a user, and the user that observes the displayed representation of the data is allowed to enter a user diagnosis for each of the detected potential episodes of tachycardia. The non-implanted system simulates how the implantable cardiac device can use its discriminators to produce device diagnoses, based on the data for the detected potential episodes of tachycardia, including how adjustments to the discriminators affect how the device diagnoses match the user diagnoses. Thereafter, the non-implanted system can reprogram the implantable cardiac device to increase a likelihood that future device diagnoses produced by the implantable cardiac device would more closely match future user diagnoses produced by the user. | 11-19-2009 |
20090299425 | Atrial Tachyarrhythmia Detection Using Selected Atrial Intervals - Methods and systems are directed to detecting atrial tachyarrhythmia. A plurality of A-A intervals is detected. The detected A-A intervals are selected and used to detect atrial tachyarrhythmia. Selecting A-A intervals may be based on determining that A-A intervals are qualified. Qualified A-A intervals may be determined if a duration of the particular A-A interval falls outside a predetermined duration range, for example. Qualified A-A intervals may also be determined based on events occurring between consecutively sensed atrial events of the particular A-A interval, and whether the duration of the particular A-A interval falls within the predetermined duration range, for example. | 12-03-2009 |
20090299426 | Synchronized Ventricular Pacing to Promote Atrial Sensing - Methods and systems are described that involve synchronized ventricular pacing that promotes sensing of atrial events. The atrioventricular pacing delay is modified based on characteristics of previously sensed atrial events. The modified AV delay is implemented relative to a first atrial event. A second AV delay is implemented relative to a second atrial event if the second atrial event is sensed during the modified AV delay. A ventricular pacing pulse is delivered following the second AV delay. | 12-03-2009 |
20090312813 | Method and Device for Determination of Arrhythmia Rate Zone Thresholds - Approaches for determining threshold values for one or more arrhythmia rate zones and/or the number of rate zones are described. A probability function for heart rate is determined using collected and measured heart rate values. One or more heart rate probability values are selected. Thresholds for arrhythmia rate zones are determined from the probability function based on the selected probability values. Determining the rate zone thresholds may involve determining a threshold for a lower rate limit and/or determining one or more tachyarrhythmia rate zone thresholds. The number of rate zones may also be determined based on the probability function. | 12-17-2009 |
20100016913 | INTERMITTENT PACING THERAPY FOR ANGINA AND DISEASE PREVENTION - A pacing system delivers cardiac protective pacing therapy (CPPT) to protect the heart from injuries and/or to treat existing injuries. The pacing system receives a set of inputs and delivers optimized cardiac protection pacing tailored for each of different purposes. The system delivers electrical stimulation to provide therapy for angina and/or to provide therapy for co-morbidities related to neural imbalance. In one embodiment, a method for treating angina is provided. A signal is sensed indicative of an incidence of angina and an angina region being a myocardial region affected by the angina. The incidence of angina is detected and the angina region is located. A pacing location is selected remote from the angina region, and CPPT is initiated at the pacing location. The CPPT is adapted to create increased stress at the angina region, to promote mass-redistribution and angiogenesis at the angina region to treat the angina. | 01-21-2010 |
20100016914 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT OF AV INTERVAL TO ENSURE DELIVERY OF CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY - The disclosure provides methods and apparatus of left ventricular pacing including automated adjustment of a atrio-ventricular (AV) pacing delay interval and intrinsic AV nodal conduction testing. It includes—upon expiration or reset of a programmable AV Evaluation Interval (AVEI)—performing the following: temporarily increasing a paced AV interval and a sensed AV interval and testing for adequate AV conduction and measuring an intrinsic atrio-ventricular (PR) interval for a right ventricular (RV) chamber. Thus, in the event that the AV conduction test reveals a physiologically acceptable intrinsic PR interval then storing the physiologically acceptable PR interval in a memory structure (e.g., a median P-R from one or more cardiac cycles). In the event that the AV conduction test reveals an AV conduction block condition or if unacceptably long PR intervals are revealed then a pacing mode-switch to a bi-ventricular (Bi-V) pacing mode occurs and the magnitude of the AVEI is increased. | 01-21-2010 |
20100100144 | INTEGRATED CARDIAC RHYTHM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH HEART VALVE - Systems and methods using a heart valve and an implantable medical device, such as for event detection and optimization of cardiac output. The cardiac management system includes a heart valve, having a physiological sensor. The physiological sensor is adapted to measure at least one of an intrinsic electrical cardiac parameter, a hemodynamic parameter or the like. The system further includes an implantable electronics unit, such as a cardiac rhythm management unit, coupled to the physiological sensor of the heart valve to receive physiological information. The electronics unit is adapted to use the received physiological information to control delivery of an electrical output to the subject. | 04-22-2010 |
20100152802 | System and Method for Monitoring Patient Condition Using Atrial Timing Characteristics - A system and method for using an implantable cardiac stimulation device to monitor a patient for the progress of an existing condition and/or early detection of an emerging condition based, at least in part, on measuring and evaluating the timing characteristics of the patient's atrial activity. The atrial timing characteristics are used as indicators or predictors of conditions of interest, such as heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). In certain implementations, the system can determine discriminating indicators of a predominant underlying cause of a condition, such as between vagal and non-vagal AF, as an indicator of a suggested therapy. The system can store data corresponding to the observed atrial timing for trending analysis as well as transmit data for offline analysis, such as via an external device. | 06-17-2010 |
20100152803 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING NON-SUSTAINING VENTRICULAR TACHYARRHYTHMIA - An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld. | 06-17-2010 |
20100191301 | HYBRID SINGLE-CHAMBER TO SIMULTANEOUS PACING METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATION OF TACHYCARDIAS - A cardiac medical device and associated method control delivery of anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) in response to detecting tachycardia. In one embodiment, an initial set of single chamber pacing pulses are delivered in a single one of the atrium and the ventricle, the other one of the atrium and the ventricle being a non-paced chamber during the initial set of single chamber pacing pulses. The device detects simultaneity between a sensed event in the non-paced chamber and one of the single chamber pacing pulses and delivers ATP in both the atrium and the ventricle in response to detecting the simultaneity. | 07-29-2010 |
20100198289 | Method and device for the prevention of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) - A method and system for circumventing sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) by monitoring a plurality of indicators related to the likelihood of SUDEP, processing and monitoring these indicators for conditions predisposing to SUDEP, selecting a preconfigured treatment to treat the existing set of high-risk conditions, and delivering or triggering apnea and/or seizure treatment of a preventive or therapeutic nature to prevent SUDEP. | 08-05-2010 |
20100222834 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDITIONAL BIVENTRICULAR PACING - An implantable pacing system with single, double and triple chamber pacing capabilities, provided individually or in concert on a conditional or continuous basis depending upon ongoing analyses of atrial rhythm status, atrioventricular conduction status and ventricular rate. A mode is selected to reduce the occurrence of any ventricular pacing in favor of intrinsic atrioventricular and ventricular conduction. If excessively long PR intervals are occurring too frequently or atrioventricular conduction is unreliable or absent, the implantable pulse generator is operated in a conditional triple chamber pacing mode that provides atrial-synchronous biventricular pacing in every cardiac cycle for a period of time as necessary to restore and maintain AV synchrony, while minimizing ventricular asynchrony otherwise associated with monochamber RV pacing as in conventional dual chamber pacing systems. Similarly, biventricular pacing is provided in every cardiac cycle when ventricular rates are undesirably slow during atrial fibrillation, where AV synchronization is excluded. | 09-02-2010 |
20100222835 | Cardiac Rhythm Management System with Arrhythmia Classification and Electrode Selection - A system, method, or device classifies an arrhythmia according to the temporal order in which a depolarization wave associated with a particular heart contraction is received at a plurality of electrodes. One or more antiarrhythmia therapies is mapped to each arrhythmia classification. When a particularly classified arrhythmia is detected, the correspondingly mapped therapy list is selected and an appropriate antiarrhythmia therapy delivered. In one example, the particular therapy delivered in response to an arrhythmia depends at least in part on its historical success in treating arrhythmias of that classification. | 09-02-2010 |
20100228308 | LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses. | 09-09-2010 |
20100228309 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DELIVERING ANTI-TACHYCARDIA PACING THERAPY - A method and device for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver the therapy, sensing circuitry, electrically coupled to the electrode, to detect the tachycardia event in response to the sensed cardiac signals, and a processor to control delivery of the therapy. The processor determines whether a return cycle length generated subsequent to the delivery of the first plurality of pacing pulses is greater than a cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and less than a sum of the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and a total prematurity associated with the first plurality of pacing pulses, and adjusts delivery of a second plurality of pacing pulses in response to the return cycle length not being greater than the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and less than the sum of the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and the total prematurity associated with the first plurality of pacing pulses. | 09-09-2010 |
20100241184 | POST LONG PAUSE OVERDRIVE PACING IN RESPONSE TO ATRIAL TACHARRHYTHMIA EPISODE - This disclosure provides for methods and apparatus for preventing an early recurring atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (AF) episode (herein “ERAF”). Some aspects of the foregoing involve commencing atrial overdrive pacing therapy delivery at an overdrive pacing rate upon detection of one of: (i) an AF episode and (ii) a relatively long pause between successive sensed P-waves during an AF episode. The AF episode typically has a cycle length interval of between about 100 ms and 300 ms, and the relatively long pause has a duration of between about 40 ms and 100 ms longer than the cycle length of the AF episode. Atrial overdrive pacing is delivered for a relatively short period of time after successful termination of the AF episode. Subsequently, the atrial pacing rate is rapidly decreased until either normal sinus rhythm or a lower programmed pacing rate is reached. | 09-23-2010 |
20100249862 | System and Method for Controlling Ventricular Pacing During AF Based on Underlying Ventricular Rates Using an Implantable Medical Device - Techniques are provided for controlling ventricular pacing during an episode of atrial fibrillation (AF) for use by a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or other implantable medical device. In one example, upon detection of AF, the underlying intrinsic ventricular rate of the patient is determined prior to delivering any ventricular pacing. Then, a ventricular pacing procedure—such as dynamic ventricular overdrive (DVO) pacing—is activated to reduce ventricular rate variability to mitigate the adverse effects of AF. The ventricular pacing procedure employed during AF is controlled based on a maximum ventricular rate set relative to the underlying intrinsic ventricular rate so as to keep an overall ventricular rate below the maximum rate. | 09-30-2010 |
20100249863 | HEMODYNAMIC STABILITY ASSESSMENT BASED ON HEART SOUNDS - A method comprises detecting at least one episode of ventricular tachyarrhythmia in a subject using an implantable medical device (IMD), sensing at least one heart sound signal for the subject using the IMD, the heart sound signal associated with mechanical vibration of a heart of the subject; initiating, in response to and during the detected episode of tachyarrhythmia, a measurement of hemodynamic stability of the ventricular tachyarrhythmia from the heart sound signal, and deeming whether the ventricular tachyarrhythmia is stable according to the measurement of hemodynamic stability. The measurement of hemodynamic stability is determined using linear prediction. | 09-30-2010 |
20100268295 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - An embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for the detection and treatment of atrial arrhythmia comprising an electrical lead having proximal and distal portions. The distal portion is positionable in an atrial chamber and the end of the proximal portion is configured to be coupled to a pacemaker. The lead comprises a plurality of conductive wires clad with an insulative coating and has sufficient flexibility to be positioned in the atria from a percutaneous introductory site. The conductive wires are coupled to a plurality of pairs of bipolar electrodes positioned on a membrane attachable to an endocardial wall. The electrode pairs are distributed in a pattern defining an area for detecting a location of a foci of aberrant electrical activity located within or adjacent the area and sending a pacing signal to that location to prevent or stop an occurrence of atrial fibrillation caused by that foci. | 10-21-2010 |
20100298901 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR CARDIAC ELECTRICAL STIMULATION - A method and apparatus for reducing a patient's heart rate or blood pressure. The apparatus provides stimulation to the patient's atrial and/or nodal tissue within the associated refractory period of the ventricle but outside of an associated refractory period of the stimulated atrial an/or nodal tissue, responsive to detecting an occurrence of a ventricular depolarization following a preceding atrial depolarization. | 11-25-2010 |
20100298902 | TACHYARRHYTHMIA SUDDEN ONSET DETECTION WITH HYSTERESIS - This document discusses, among other things, detection of a sudden onset of a tachyarrhythmia. A sudden onset of tachyarrhythmia is determined by monitoring changes in intrinsic ventricular rate, such as by using one or more sensing channels in the ICD. A lowest tachyarrhythmia rate threshold is accompanied by a slightly lower “hysteresis tachyarrhythmia rate threshold.” If a sudden onset of tachyarrhythmia is declared, the sudden onset status is not reset by the ventricular rate falling below the lowest tachyarrhythmia rate threshold, but is instead reset by the ventricular rate falling below the slightly lower hysteresis tachyarrhythmia rate threshold. | 11-25-2010 |
20100331905 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL OF ANTI-TACHYARRHYTHMIA PACING USING HEMODYNAMIC SENSOR - A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable medical device that delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) and a hemodynamic sensor that senses a hemodynamic signal. The implantable medical device includes a hemodynamic sensor-controlled closed-loop ATP system that uses the hemodynamic signal for ATP capture verification. When ATP pulses are delivered according to a selected ATP protocol to terminate a tachyarrhythmia episode, the implantable medical device performs the ATP capture verification by detecting an effective cardiac contraction from the hemodynamic signal. The ATP protocol is adjusted using an outcome of the ATP capture verification. | 12-30-2010 |
20110015690 | Neurostimulation and Neurosensing Techniques to Optimize Atrial Anti-Tachycardia Pacing for Prevention of Atrial Tachyarrhythmias - Implantable systems and method for use therewith are provided that take advantage of various neuromodulation and neurosensing techniques for either preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) or terminating AF. Specific embodiments are for use with an implantable device that includes one or more atrial electrode for sensing atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or delivering AATP and one or more electrode for monitoring and/or stimulating atrial vagal fat pads. | 01-20-2011 |
20110015691 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACING MODE SWITCHING DURING ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIAS - A method for operating a cardiac pacemaker in which the mode of operation of the pacemaker is altered in response to detecting an episode of atrial tachycardia. In accordance with the invention, the pacemaker's pacing mode is altered in a manner that attempts to maintain hemodynamic stability during the atrial tachycardia. Such a mode switch is particularly applicable to pacemaker patients suffering from some degree of congestive heart failure. | 01-20-2011 |
20110022106 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING VENTRICULAR PACING DELAYS DURING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - Techniques are provided for use by implantable medical devices for controlling ventricular pacing, particularly during atrial fibrillation. In one example, during a V sense test for use in optimizing ventricular pacing, the implantable device determines relative degrees of variation within antecedent and succedent intervals detected between ventricular events sensed on left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) sensing channels. Preferred or optimal ventricular pacing delays are then determined, in part, based on a comparison of the relative degrees of variation obtained during the V sense test. In another example, during RV and LV pace tests, the device distinguishes QRS complexes arising due to interventricular conduction from QRS complexes arising due to atrioventricular conduction from the atria, so as to permit the determination of correct paced interventricular conduction delays for the patient. The paced interventricular conduction delays are also used to optimize ventricular pacing. Biventricular and monoventricular pacing regimes are provided. | 01-27-2011 |
20110022107 | AUTOMATIC ENABLING OF POST LONG PAUSE OVERDRIVE PACING - A method and apparatus for controlling an atrial overdrive pacing therapy include detecting an atrial arrhythmia episode and determining if the atrial arrhythmia episode is an early recurring episode. Delivery of the atrial overdrive pacing therapy is enabled in response to the early recurring episode and commences upon detection of an atrial arrhythmia episode or a long pause. | 01-27-2011 |
20110046689 | CARDIAC PACEMAKER WITH PACING RATE MONITORING - A pacing monitoring system is described for incorporation in an implantable pacemaker that monitors the pacing rate and/or cumulative pace count in order to protect a patient from excessive pacing. The system includes monitoring circuitry that is configured to operate in multiple monitoring zones, where each zone is adapted to prevent excessively high-rate pacing during a particular mode of device operation. | 02-24-2011 |
20110054556 | ASSESSMENT OF CARDIAC WALL MOTION USING IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENTS - In general, this disclosure provides techniques for heart monitoring. In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, an implantable medical device (IMD) may assess cardiac wall motion using impedance measurements through cardiac leads. As an example, the IMD may calculate an amount or rate of change in impedance due to the motion of a wall of the heart during at least a portion of one cardiac cycle, e.g., systole, in order to assess the strength of systolic contraction. | 03-03-2011 |
20110066200 | CARDIAC NEUROMODULATION AND METHODS OF USING SAME - The present invention relates in general to methodologies for the treatment quenching preconditioning and communication between the intrinsic cardiac nervous system and an electrical stimulus. In particular, the present invention utilizes spinal cord stimulation to alter and/or affect the intrinsic cardiac nervous system and thereby protect the myocytes, stabilize myocardial electrical instability and/or alleviate or diminish cardiac pathologies. | 03-17-2011 |
20110077703 | PACE DISCRIMINATION OF TACHYCARDIA USING ATRIAL-VENTRICULAR PACING - A cardiac medical device and associated method control delivery of dual chamber burst pacing pulses in response to detecting tachycardia. In one embodiment, a single chamber pacing pulse is delivered in response to detecting a tachycardia. Dual chamber pacing pulses are delivered subsequent to the single chamber pacing pulse. An intrinsic depolarization is sensed subsequent to delivering the dual chamber pacing pulses. The tachycardia episode is classified in response to the sensed intrinsic depolarization. | 03-31-2011 |
20110077704 | PACE DISCRIMINATION OF TACHYCARDIA USING ATRIAL-VENTRICULAR PACING - A cardiac medical device and associated method control delivery of dual chamber burst pacing pulses in response to detecting tachycardia. A number of cardiac cycles occurring in a first cardiac chamber are identified subsequent to the dual chamber pacing pulses. The number of sensed intrinsic events occurring in a second cardiac chamber during the first chamber cardiac cycles is determined as a number of second chamber events. The tachycardia episode is classified in response to the number of second chamber events. | 03-31-2011 |
20110087303 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACING MODE SWITCHING DURING ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIAS - A method for operating a cardiac pacemaker in which the mode of operation of the pacemaker is altered in response to detecting an episode of atrial tachycardia. In accordance with the invention, the pacemaker's pacing mode is altered in a manner that attempts to maintain hemodynamic stability during the atrial tachycardia. Such a mode switch is particularly applicable to pacemaker patients suffering from some degree of congestive heart failure. | 04-14-2011 |
20110093029 | NERVE STIMULATION DEVICE - To shorten the length of a lead, alleviate physical burden on a patient in installation of a device into a body, and miniaturize the device while allowing both treatment based on cardiac stimulation and nerve stimulation. Provided is a nerve stimulation device implanted in the body together with a cardiac treatment device supplying an electric pulse to a heart depending on a cardiac rate, including a stimulation signal outputting part that stimulates a vagus nerve via a stimulation electrode disposed on the vagus nerve, an electric signal detecting part that detects an electric signal transmitted through a tissue outside the heart by a detection electrode disposed on the tissue, a cardiac event determining part that determines a cardiac event containing the electric pulse supplied to the heart by the cardiac treatment device based on the electric signal detected by the electric signal detecting part, and a controlling part that controls the stimulation signal outputting part based on the cardiac event determined by the cardiac event determining part. | 04-21-2011 |
20110098766 | NON-SUSTAINED TACHYARRHYTHMIA ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY LEAD RELATED CONDITION - Techniques for determining whether a lead related condition exists based on analysis of a cardiac electrical signal associated with a non-sustained tachyarrhythmia (NST) are described. In some examples, the techniques include determining the duration of intervals between consecutive cardiac events, e.g., R-R intervals, during an NST. The techniques may further include determining one or more metrics based on the durations of the intervals during the NST. Examples of metrics include an average, a minimum, a maximum, a range, a median, a mode, or a mean. A lead related condition is identified based on the values of the one or more metrics, e.g., by comparison to respective thresholds. In some examples, an alert is provided or a therapy modification is suggested if a lead related condition is identified. | 04-28-2011 |
20110106194 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE WITH AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR DISCRIMINATING VT AND SVT BASED ON VENTRICULAR DEPOLARIZATION EVENT TIMING - Techniques are described for discriminating ventricular tachycardia (VT) from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) using an implantable medical device capable of multi-site ventricular sensing. In one example, ventricular depolarization events are detected within a patient by the implantable device during a tachyarrhythmia, at both a left ventricular sensing site and a right ventricular sensing site. Ventricular event timing differences are then ascertained. The device compares the ventricular event timing differences detected during the tachyarrhythmia with predetermined supraventricular event timing differences for the patient, such as event timing differences previously detected within the patient during sinus rhythm or extrapolated from sinus rhythm values. The device then distinguishes VT from SVT based on the comparison of the event timing differences detected during the tachyarrhythmia with the predetermined supraventricular event timing differences. Morphological waveform analysis can also be performed, when needed, to further distinguish VT from SVT. | 05-05-2011 |
20110106195 | ARRHYTHMIA PREDICTION BASED ON HEART RATE TURBULENCE - In general, the disclosure describes techniques for predicting the occurrence of an arrhythmia based on an indication of heart rate turbulence. An example method comprises sensing a parameter indicative of heart rate turbulence, measuring heart rate turbulence based on the sensed parameter, and predicting an occurrence of an arrhythmia based on the measured heart rate turbulence. | 05-05-2011 |
20110137362 | Activation of cardiac alpha receptors by spinal cord stimulation produces cardioprotection against ischemia, arrhythmias, and heart failure - The present invention relates in general to methodologies for the treatment quenching preconditioning and communication between the peripheral cardiac nervous system and an electrical stimulus. In particular, the present invention utilizes spinal cord stimulation to alter and/or affect the peripheral cardiac nervous system and thereby protect cardiac function. | 06-09-2011 |
20110137363 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INITIATING AND DELIVERING CARDIAC PROTECTION PACING - A pacing system delivers cardiac protection pacing to protect the heart from injuries associated with ischemic events. The pacing system detects an ischemic event and, in response, initiates one or more cardiac protection pacing sequences each including alternative pacing and non-pacing periods. In one embodiment, the pacing system initiates a cardiac protection pacing sequence in response to the detection of the onset of an ischemic event, such that a pacing concurrent conditioning therapy is applied during the detected ischemic event. | 06-09-2011 |
20110137364 | MULTI-SITE PACING FOR ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIAS - Tachyarrhythmia is treated by applying anti-tachycardia pacing through at least one multi-site electrode set located on, in or around the heart. The electrode set is arranged and located such that an electrical activation pattern having a wave-front between substantially flat and concave is generated through a reentrant circuit associated with the tachyarrhythmia. The electrode set may be one of a plurality of predefined, multi-site electrode sets located on, in or around the atria. Alternatively, the electrode set may be formed using at least two selectable electrodes located on, in or around the atria | 06-09-2011 |
20110144709 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC PROTECTION PACING - A pacing system delivers cardiac protection pacing to protect the heart from injuries associated with ischemic events. The pacing system detects an ischemic event and, in response, initiates one or more cardiac protection pacing sequences each including alternative pacing and non-pacing periods. In one embodiment, the pacing system initiates cardiac protection pacing sequences including at least one postconditioning sequence to protect the heart from a detected ischemic event and a plurality prophylactic preconditioning sequences to protect the heart from probable future ischemic events. | 06-16-2011 |
20110160786 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE FAILSAFE MODE FOR MRI - An implantable device, such as a pacer, defibrillator, or other cardiac rhythm management device, can include a failsafe backup, such as a separate and independent safety core that can assume control over operation of the implantable device from a primary controller. In an example, the safety core can include a normal first safety core operating mode and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) second safety core operating mode that can provide different functionality from the normal first safety core operating mode. | 06-30-2011 |
20110178563 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING AND TIMING ANTI-TACHYARRHYTHMIA PACING USING CARDIAC SIGNAL MORPHOLOGY - A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable medical device that delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including ATP. When a tachyarrhythmia episode is detected, the implantable medical device analyzes the morphology of a cardiac signal to determine whether and/or when to deliver an ATP therapy. In various embodiments, the implantable medical device produces morphological parameters indicative of the likeliness of success of the ATP therapy and selects an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy mode based on the morphological parameters. In various embodiments, the implantable medical device also controls the timing of the ATP therapy delivery using morphological features of the cardiac signal to maximize the probability that the ATP therapy is delivered into an ATP window during which a tachyarrhythmia episode can be effectively terminated by pacing. | 07-21-2011 |
20110218586 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RECOGNIZING ARRHYTHMIAS USING NEURAL STIMULATION - In various method embodiments for classifying an arrhythmia, a characteristic of a ventricle is sensed before delivering a diagnostic neural stimulation. The diagnostic neural stimulation is delivered, and the characteristic of the ventricle is sensed while delivering the diagnostic neural stimulation. The sensed characteristic of the ventricle before and during the diagnostic neural stimulation is used to classify the arrhythmia as either a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) or a ventricular tachycardia (VT). According to various embodiments, the characteristic of the ventricle is ventricular rate, similarity values of sensed ventricular morphology to a normal sinus rhythm (NSR), or ventricular hemodynamics. Various embodiments use ventricular rate regularity before and during the diagnostic neural stimulation to classify an SVT as atrial fibrillation (AF) or as another SVT. | 09-08-2011 |
20110319951 | Systems and Methods for Use by an Implantable Medical Device for Controlling Multi-Site CRT Pacing in the Presence of Atrial Tachycardia - Systems and methods are provided for use by implantable medical devices equipped to deliver multi-site left ventricular (MSLV) pacing. MSLV is associated with a relatively long post-ventricular atrial blanking (PVAB) period that might limit the detection of pathologic rapid organized atrial tachycardias (OAT). In one example, MSLV cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacing is delivered within a tracking mode. A possible atrial tachycardia is detected based on the atrial rate exceeding an atrial tachycardia assessment rate (ATAR) threshold. The device then switches to single-site LV pacing, thereby effectively shortening the PVAB to detect additional atrial events that might otherwise be obscured, and thereby permitting the device to more reliably distinguish organized atrial tachycardias (such as atrial flutter) from sinus tachycardia. The device may also employ an automatic mode switch (AMS) threshold that is set higher than the ATAR threshold for use in switching from tracking modes to nontracking modes. | 12-29-2011 |
20110319952 | TERMINATING TACHYARRHYTHMIAS - This disclosure is directed to techniques for treating tachyarrhythmias, such as atrial or ventricular fibrillation, in which a number of electrodes are employed to deliver electrical stimulation to a patient's heart in a manner designed to terminate the tachyarrhythmia episode. | 12-29-2011 |
20110319953 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE BY AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MULTI-SITE CRT PACING IN THE PRESENCE OF ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA - Systems and methods are provided for use by implantable medical devices equipped to deliver multi-site left ventricular (MSLV) pacing. Sequential MSLV is associated with a relatively long post-ventricular atrial blanking (PVAB) period that might limit the detection of pathologic rapid organized atrial tachycardias (OAT). In one example, sequential MSLV cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacing is delivered within a tracking mode. A possible atrial tachycardia is detected based on the atrial rate exceeding an atrial tachycardia assessment rate (ATAR) threshold. The device then switches to either single-site LV pacing or simultaneous MSLV pacing, thereby effectively shortening the PVAB to detect additional atrial events that might otherwise be obscured, and thereby permitting the device to more reliably distinguish OATs (such as atrial flutter) from sinus tachycardia. The device may also employ an automatic mode switch (AMS) threshold set higher than the ATAR threshold for use in switching from tracking modes to nontracking modes. | 12-29-2011 |
20120016433 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING VENTRICULAR TACHYARRHYTHMIAS - A system and method for selectively treating a ventricular tachycardia based on sensed atrial and ventricular intervals from the patient's heart. A detection window of the ten most recent atrial and ventricular intervals are analyzed for the occurrence of either tachycardia or fibrillation. When a majority of the sensed intervals are satisfied, the apparatus starts a duration time interval. Ventricular intervals and atrial intervals are compare, ventricular interval greater than the atrial interval by a bias factor the system delivers tachycardia therapy to the heart. Alternatively, the method withholds tachycardia therapy to the heart when the atrial rate is classified as atrial fibrillation and the ventricular response is unstable. | 01-19-2012 |
20120029586 | PARASYMPATHETIC STIMULATION TO ENHANCE TACHYARRHYTHMIA DETECTION - This disclosure is directed toward techniques for classifying a tachycardia as supraventricular tachycardia or ventricular tachycardia. A method comprises detecting a tachycardia based on at least one value of a cardiac interval, delivering vagal stimulation in response to the detection of the tachycardia, sensing a physiological parameter other than the cardiac interval during or subsequent to delivering the vagal stimulation, and classifying the tachycardia as supraventricular or ventricular based on the sensed physiological parameter. In some examples, the method includes sensing a response of a physiological parameter other than cardiac rate to the vagal stimulation, such as pressure or a morphological characteristic of the cardiac electrical waveform. The method may include providing an indication to a user based on the classification of supraventricular tachycardia, or delivery of appropriate electrical therapy based on the classification of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. | 02-02-2012 |
20120035679 | ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION TREATMENT BY ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF THE THORACIC AORTA - Apparatus and methods are described including identifying a subject as suffering from a condition selected from the group consisting of congestive heart failure, diastolic heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and hypertension. In response to the identifying, an electrode is placed on the subject's aorta at an aortic site that is between a bifurcation of the aorta with the subject's left subclavian artery and a bifurcation of the aorta with the subject's fifth intercostal artery. The subject is treated by electrically stimulating the aortic site by driving a current into the aortic site, via the electrode. Other applications are also described. | 02-09-2012 |
20120071942 | Subcutaneous Cardiac Sensing and Stimulation System - Cardiac systems and methods using ECG and blood information for arrhythmia detection and discrimination. Detection circuitry is configured to produce an ECG. An implantable blood sensor configured to produce a blood sensor signal is coupled to a processor. The processor is coupled to the detection and energy delivery circuitry, and used to evaluate and treat cardiac rhythms using both the cardiac electrophysiologic and blood sensor signals. The blood sensor is configured for subcutaneous non-intrathoracic placement and provided in or on the housing, on a lead coupled to the housing, and/or separate to the housing and coupled to the processor via hardwire or wireless link. The blood sensor may be configured for optical sensing, using a blood oxygen saturation sensor or pulse oximeter. A cardiac rhythm may be evaluated using the electrocardiogram signal and the blood sensor signal, and tachyarrhythmias may be treated after confirmation using the blood sense signal. | 03-22-2012 |
20120116473 | MEASUREMENT OF CARDIAC INFORMATION FOR CRT OPTIMZIATION IN THE PRESENCE OF CONDUCTION DYSFUNCTION OR ATRIAL ARRHYTHMIA - An exemplary method includes delivering a cardiac pacing therapy that includes an atrio-ventricular delay and an interventricular delay, providing a paced propagation delay associated with delivery of a stimulus to a ventricle, delivering a stimulus to the ventricle, sensing an event in the other ventricle caused by the stimulus, determining an interventricular conduction delay value based on the delivering and the sensing, determining a interventricular delay (Δ | 05-10-2012 |
20120179220 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING IF AN ARRHYTHMIA INITIATED IN AN ATRIUM OR A VENTRICLE - Validated atrial and/or ventricular interval decreases are used to discriminate between VT and SVT. Atrial and/or ventricular intervals are monitored in order to detect decreases in such intervals (which are indicative in increases in rate). The atrial intervals can be, e.g., AA intervals, and the ventricular intervals can be, e.g., VV intervals. A detected atrial and/or ventricular interval decrease can be a decrease that is greater than an interval decrease threshold. Detected atrial and/or ventricular interval decreases can be validated by examining atrial and/or ventricular intervals before and after a detected atrial and/or ventricular interval decrease. The use of the validated atrial and/or ventricular interval decreases to classify an arrhythmia as SVT or VT can be called arrhythmia initiation analysis, since it is believed to determine whether the initiation of the arrhythmia is in an atrium or a ventricle. | 07-12-2012 |
20120185008 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120185009 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120191154 | System and Method for ATP Treatment Utilizing Multi-Electrode Left Ventricular Lead - An implantable medical device includes a lead configured to be located proximate to the left ventricle (LV) of the heart, the lead including multiple LV electrodes to sense cardiac activity at multiple LV sensing sites. The a detection module to detect an arrhythmia that represents at least one of a tachycardia and fibrillation based at least in part on the cardiac activity sensed at the multiple LV sensing sites. The ATP therapy module to identify at least one of an ATP configuration or an ATP therapy site based on the cardiac sensed activity at the LV sensing sites, the ATP therapy module to control delivery of antitachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy at the ATP therapy site. The ATP therapy module delivers a stimulus to electrodes at one or more of an LV site, right ventricular (RV) site and right atrial (RA) site, the detection module to sense evoked responses at the LV sensing sites, the ATP therapy module to designate the ATP therapy site to include at least the LV sensing site with a shortest activation time relative to the one or more LV site, RV site and RA site where the stimulus is delivered. | 07-26-2012 |
20120215273 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONCURRENT ATRIO-VENTRICULAR ANTI-TACHYCARDIA PACING - An implantable medical device delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP). If a detected tachyarrhythmia is classified as a type suitable for treatment using ATP, the implantable medical device selects one of an atrial ATP (A-ATP) mode, a ventricular ATP (V-ATP) mode, and a concurrent atrio-ventricular ATP (concurrent AV-ATP) mode according to the characteristics of the detected tachyarrhythmia. The concurrent ATP mode is an ATP mode during which the atrial pacing pulses and the ventricular pacing pulses are delivered concurrently. In one embodiment, the concurrent AV-ATP mode includes a synchronized atrio-ventricular ATP (synchronized AV-ATP) mode during which atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are delivered synchronously and an independent atrio-ventricular ATP (independent AV-ATP) mode during which atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are delivered concurrently but timed independently. | 08-23-2012 |
20120232605 | USING FOCAL MYOCARDIAL STIMULATION TO DISTINGUISH SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA FROM VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA - An apparatus and method to discriminate cardiac events by sensing atrial and ventricular depolarizations having associated refractory periods thereafter. A fast ventricular rate is detected in response to the sensed ventricular depolarizations. Responsive to detecting the fast ventricular rate, at least one stimulus pulse is delivered to atrial tissue within the associated refractory period of the ventricle but outside of an associated refractory period of the stimulated atrial tissue. A ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse is determined, and the cardiac event is discriminated based on the ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse. | 09-13-2012 |
20120232606 | USING FOCAL MYOCARDIAL STIMULATION TO DISTINGUISH SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA FROM VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA - An apparatus and method to discriminate cardiac events by sensing atrial and ventricular depolarizations having associated refractory periods thereafter. A fast ventricular rate is detected in response to the sensed ventricular depolarizations. Responsive to detecting the fast ventricular rate, at least one stimulus pulse is delivered to atrial tissue within the associated refractory period of the ventricle but outside of an associated refractory period of the stimulated atrial tissue. A ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse is determined, and the cardiac event is discriminated based on the ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse. | 09-13-2012 |
20120277815 | UNIPOLAR PACING IN THE PRESENCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE - An implantable medical system may include an implantable medical lead including at least one electrode and an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) detection module that monitors for one or more particular characteristics of EMI. A control module is configured to control a therapy module to generate single stimulation pulses while operating the IMD in a first operating mode. In response to detecting the condition indicative of the presence of EMI, the control module switches the IMD from the first operating mode to a second operating mode and generates at least one group of two or more stimulation pulses in close proximity to one another in place of a single stimulation pulse while operating the IMD in the second operating mode. | 11-01-2012 |
20120290030 | AV NODAL STIMULATION DURING ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIA TO PREVENT INAPPROPRIATE THERAPY DELIVERY - The disclosure describes techniques for delivering electrical stimulation to decrease the ventricular rate response during an atrial tachyarrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. AV nodal stimulation is employed during an atrial tachyarrhythmia episode with rapid ventricular conduction to distinguish ventricular tachyarrhythmia from supraventricular tachycardia and thereby prevent delivering inappropriate therapy to a patient. | 11-15-2012 |
20120296386 | NON-SUSTAINED TACHYARRHYTHMIA ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY LEAD RELATED CONDITION - Techniques for determining whether a lead related condition exists based on analysis of a cardiac electrical signal associated with a non-sustained tachyarrhythmia (NST) are described. In some examples, the techniques include determining the duration of intervals between consecutive cardiac events, e.g., R-R intervals, during an NST. The techniques may further include determining one or more metrics based on the durations of the intervals during the NST. Examples of metrics include an average, a minimum, a maximum, a range, a median, a mode, or a mean. A lead related condition is identified based on the values of the one or more metrics, e.g., by comparison to respective thresholds. In some examples, an alert is provided or a therapy modification is suggested if a lead related condition is identified. | 11-22-2012 |
20120303079 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINED CARDIAC FUNCTION MANAGEMENT AND RENAL THERAPIES - A system can coordinate operation of a cardiac function management (CFM) device and a renal device, such as during a vulnerable period in which a patient has an increased risk of tachyarrhythmia. | 11-29-2012 |
20120303080 | PARASYMPATHETIC NERVE STIMULATION - A method is provided, including identifying that a subject is at risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF). Responsively to the identifying, a risk of an occurrence of an episode of the AF is reduced by coupling an electrode device to a site of a subject containing parasympathetic nervous tissue; driving, by a control unit, the electrode device to apply an electrical current to the site not responsively to any physiological parameters sensed by any device directly or indirectly coupled to the control unit; and configuring the current to stimulate autonomic nervous tissue in the site. Other embodiments are also described. | 11-29-2012 |
20120303081 | OPTICAL SENSOR AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A PATIENT CONDITION - An implantable medical device for monitoring tissue perfusion that includes a light source emitting a light signal and a light detector receiving emitted light scattered by a volume of body tissue. The light detector emits a signal having an alternating current component corresponding to the pulsatility of blood flow in the body tissue volume. A processor receives the current signal and determines a patient condition in response to the alternating component of the current signal. | 11-29-2012 |
20120330369 | CONTINGENT CARDIO-PROTECTION FOR EPILEPSY PATIENTS - Disclosed are methods and systems for treating epilepsy by stimulating a main trunk of a vagus nerve, or a left vagus nerve, when the patient has had no seizure or a seizure that is not characterized by cardiac changes such as an increase in heart rate, and stimulating a cardiac branch of a vagus nerve, or a right vagus nerve, when the patient has had a seizure characterized by cardiac changes such as a heart rate increase. | 12-27-2012 |
20130030481 | MORPHOLOGY-BASED DISCRIMINATION ALGORITHM BASED ON RELATIVE AMPLITUDE DIFFERENCES AND CORRELATION OF IMPRINTS OF ENERGY DISTRIBUTION - Techniques for morphologic discrimination between beats of a tachyarrhythmia episode are described for selecting delivery of appropriate therapy. An exemplary method comprises nonordered binning of digitized amplitude values of signals associated with cardiac depolarizations. Monomorphic VT is discriminated from polymorphic VT without signal alignment. One exemplary method involves sensing electrical signals associated with depolarizations of a patient's heart during a tachyarrhythmia episode. The sensed electrical signals are converted to digital values and stored. The stored digital values are normalized and binned. At most, 5 pairs of beats or depolarizations are compared for morphologic similarity by determining the similarity between the binned values associated with each pair. The result of the comparison is used to select and deliver therapy to the patient. | 01-31-2013 |
20130131747 | IMPLANTABLE DEFIBRILLATOR/CARDIOVERTER MEDICAL DEVICE WITH A DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTABLE THRESHOLD FOR VENTRICULAR DETECTION - Methods, devices, and processor-readable storage media are provided for detecting spontaneous ventricular events in a heart using implantable medical devices. A method in this context includes applying a sensitivity function to collected data to detect occurrence of ventricular events. The sensitivity function is based on an adjustable detection threshold. The method further includes determining whether noise is suspected to be present in the data and, if so, increasing the threshold. The method further includes providing a stimulation pulse to the heart when a ventricular event has not occurred after a predetermined escape interval and, following the stimulation pulse, applying a capture test to detect whether an induced depolarization has occurred. If induced polarization is not detected, the threshold is reduced, while the threshold is maintained if induced polarization is detected. | 05-23-2013 |
20130158615 | RHYTHM DISCRIMINATION ENHANCEMENT - AV DRIVE - An apparatus comprises an implantable cardiac signal sensing circuit and a controller circuit. The implantable cardiac signal sensing circuit provides a sensed depolarization signal from a ventricle and a sensed depolarization signal from an atrium. The controller circuit includes a one-to-one detector circuit and a tachyarrhythmia discrimination circuit. The one-to-one detector circuit measures cardiac depolarization intervals of the atrium and the ventricle and determines whether a relationship of atrial depolarizations to ventricular depolarizations is substantially one-to-one. The tachyarrhythmia discrimination circuit classifies the episode as VT when detecting a shortening or prolonging of a V-V interval that immediately precedes the same shortening or prolonging of an A-A interval. | 06-20-2013 |
20130178908 | ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL ENDOCARDIOLOGY TOOL - Apparatus and methods for pacing the heart. The apparatus may include, and the methods may involve, an elongated member having: a delivery lumen that is configured to traverse the heart wall, the lumen having a proximal opening for receiving the instrument and a distal opening for deploying the instrument; and an electrically conductive member that is configured to deliver to the heart wall a current that modifies a contraction frequency. The apparatus may include an access opening closure device that has: a distal end that is configured to be disposed interior the heart and contact endocardial tissue adjacent the access opening; and a proximal end that is configured to be disposed exterior the heart and contact heart tissue adjacent the access opening; and an electrode that is configured to discharge electrical energy into the heart wall to change the frequency. The apparatus may include an injectable needle pacing electrode. | 07-11-2013 |
20130204311 | IMPLANTS AND METHODS FOR TREATING CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS - Devices and methods are described for treating maladies such as atrial fibrillation. The devices and methods, in some implementations, include implant comprising a ribbon or other structure formed into one or more rings. The ribbon can provide mechanical pressure against an adjacent tissue, e.g., the tissue of a vessel, so as to help at least partially inhibit the propagation of electrical signals along the vessel. | 08-08-2013 |
20130231712 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CHARACTERIZING MECHANICAL ACTIVATION PATTERNS FOR RHYTHM DISCRIMINATION AND THERAPY - An implantable sensor circuit can be configured to generate a first sensor signal representative of mechanical activation of a first chamber of a heart of a subject and a second sensor signal representative of mechanical activation of a second chamber of the heart. A chamber synchrony measurement circuit can be configured to generate a measure of synchrony of the mechanical activations of the first heart chamber and the second heart chamber using the first and second sensor signals, a tachyarrhythmia detector circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit can be configured to receive an indication of a detected episode of tachyarrhythmia, and to initiate, select, or adjust a device-based therapy at least in part using the measure of synchrony of the mechanical activations in response to the tachyarrhythmia detection. | 09-05-2013 |
20130282073 | LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses. | 10-24-2013 |
20130331900 | TRIGGERED MODE PACING FOR CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY - A triggered mode pacing system enables dual chamber sensing. The system also determines whether a cardiac event is initially sensed in a first cardiac chamber or a second cardiac chamber. The system then triggers an output to the second cardiac chamber in response to sensing the cardiac event in the first cardiac chamber when the cardiac event was determined to have been initially sensed in the first cardiac chamber. | 12-12-2013 |
20130331901 | Methods and Apparatus to Stimulate Heart Atria - A method and apparatus for treatment of hypertension and heart failure by increasing secretion of endogenous atrial hormones by pacing of the heart atria. Atrial pacing is done during the ventricular refractory period resulting in premature atrial contraction that does not result in ventricular contraction. Pacing results in the atrial wall stress, peripheral vasodilation, ANP secretion. Concomitant reduction of the heart rate is monitored and controlled as needed with backup pacing. | 12-12-2013 |
20140052208 | Neuromodulation Systems and Methods for Treating Acute Heart Failure Syndromes - A neuromodulation system for treating acute heart failure syndromes includes a first catheter having a parasympathetic therapy element adapted for positioning within a first blood vessel such as a superior vena cava, and a second catheter sympathetic therapy element adapted for positioning with a second, different, blood vessel such as the pulmonary artery. The catheters comprise a system in which one of catheters is slidably disposed over the other of the catheters. The system may further be slidably disposed over a third elongate element such as a Swan-Ganz catheter positionable within a pulmonary artery, such that the Swan-Ganz may be used for monitoring parameters such as blood pressure and cardiac output during neuromodulation therapy. The parasympathetic therapy element is energized to deliver neuromodulation therapy to a parasympathetic nerve fiber such as a vagus nerve, while the sympathetic therapy element is energized to deliver neuromodulation therapy to a sympathetic nerve fiber such as a sympathetic cardiac nerve fiber. For treatment of acute heart failure syndromes, the neuromodulation therapy may be used to lower heart rate and increase cardiac inotropy. | 02-20-2014 |
20140088662 | REDUCING INAPPROPRIATE DELIVERY OF THERAPY FOR SUSPECTED NON-LETHAL ARRHYTHMIAS - An implantable medical device (IMD) identifies suspected non-lethal ventricular arrhythmia, and takes one or more actions in response to the identification to avoid or delay delivery of a defibrillation or cardioversion shock. The IMD employs number of intervals to detect (NID) thresholds for detection of ventricular arrhythmias. When a NID threshold is met, the IMD determines whether the ventricular rhythm is a suspected non-lethal rhythm despite satisfying a NID threshold. In some embodiments, the IMD increases the NID threshold, i.e., extends the time for detection, in response to identifying a rhythm as a suspected non-lethal rhythm, and monitors subsequent ventricular beats to determine if the increased NID threshold is met before detecting a ventricular arrhythmia and delivering therapy. The IMD can determine whether a rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia by, for example, comparing the median ventricular cycle length (VCL) to the median atrial cycle length (ACL). | 03-27-2014 |
20140107721 | Apparatus for and Method of Terminating a High Frequency Arrhythmic Electric State of a Biological Tissue - For terminating a high frequency arrhythmic electric state of a biological tissue an electric signal representative of the present electric state of the biological tissue is obtained. From the electric signal a dominant frequency of the present electric state is determined, and from the dominant frequency it is determined whether the present electric state of the biological tissue is a high frequency arrhythmic electric state. Further, a dominance level indicative of how dominant the dominant frequency is in the high frequency arrhythmic electric state is determined from the electric signal. Depending on the at least one dominant frequency, at least one series of electric pulses at intervals is generated. The electric pulses are applied to the biological tissue starting at a point in time at which the dominance level exceeds a predefined threshold value for the biological tissue being in a determined high frequency arrhythmic electric state. | 04-17-2014 |
20140135862 | IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATOR-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR MANAGING TACHYARRHYTHMIA THROUGH VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION - An implantable neurostimulator-implemented method for managing tachyarrhythmias through vagus nerve stimulation is provided. An implantable neurostimulator, including a pulse generator, is configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation in a manner that results in creation and propagation (in both afferent and efferent directions) of action potentials within neuronal fibers of a patient's cervical vagus nerve. Operating modes of the pulse generator are stored. A maintenance dose of the electrical therapeutic stimulation is delivered to the vagus nerve via the pulse generator to restore cardiac autonomic balance through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses. A restorative dose of the electrical therapeutic stimulation is delivered to prevent initiation of or disrupt tachyarrhythmia through periodic electrical pulses delivered at higher intensity than the maintenance dose. The patient's normative physiology is monitored via a physiological sensor, and upon sensing a condition indicative of tachyarrhythmia, is switched to delivering the restorative dose to the vagus nerve. | 05-15-2014 |
20140135863 | IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATOR-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR ENHANCING POST-EXERCISE RECOVERY THROUGH VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION - An implantable neurostimulator-implemented method for enhancing post-exercise recovery through vagus nerve stimulation is provided. An implantable neurostimulator, including a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation in a manner that results in creation and propagation (in both afferent and efferent directions) of action potentials within neuronal fibers including a patient's cervical vagus nerve. An operating mode is stored in the pulse generator. An enhanced dose of the electrical therapeutic stimulation is parametrically defined and tuned to prevent or disrupt tachyarrhythmia through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses. The patient's physiological state is monitored during physical exercise via at least one sensor included in the implantable neurostimulator, and upon sensing a condition indicative of cessation of the physical exercise, the enhanced dose is delivered for a period of time the enhanced dose to the vagus nerve. | 05-15-2014 |
20140172033 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND TREATING JUNCTIONAL RHYTHMS - An implantable medical device is provided for detecting transportless ventricular rhythm of a heart lacking atrial transport and comprises a housing, sensors configured to be located proximate to a heart, a sensing module to sense cardiac signals representative of a rhythm originating from the heart and a rhythm detection module. The rhythm detection module determines a change in AV association and identifies a potential ventricular complex with loss of atrial transport (VCLAT) based on the change in AV association. | 06-19-2014 |
20140180352 | CARDIAC STIMULATING DEVICE - An implantable medical device, IMD, comprises atrial and ventricular sensing units for sensing atrial or ventricular electric events. The IMD also comprises atrial and ventricular pulse generators for generating atrial or ventricular pacing pulses. A controller controls the operation of the IMD ( | 06-26-2014 |
20140277232 | IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATOR-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR MANAGING TACHYARRHYTHMIC RISK DURING SLEEP THROUGH VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION - A patient suffering from congestive heart failure is at increased risk of cardiac arrhythmogenesis during sleep, particularly if experiencing central sleep apnea as a co-morbidity. Low intensity peripheral neurostimulation therapies that target imbalance of the autonomic nervous system have been shown to improve clinical outcomes. Thus, bi-directional autonomic regulation therapy is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve at an intensity that is insufficient to elicit pathological or acute physiological side effects and without the requirement of an enabling physiological feature or triggering physiological marker. The patient's physiology is monitored to identify periods of sleep. In one embodiment, upon sensing a condition indicative of tachyarrhythmia following a period of bradycardia, as naturally occurs during sleep, an enhanced “boost” dose of bi-directional neural stimulation intended to “break” the tachyarrhythmic condition is delivered. In a further embodiment, the boost dose is delivered upon sensing a physiological pattern indicative of Cheyne-Stokes respiration. | 09-18-2014 |
20140350624 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STIMULATING THE HEART VIA THE VAGUS NERVE - A rules engine acquires sensor data from sensors applied to the heart to determine the presence of a rapid heartbeat. The rules engine applies rules to the sensor data to determine whether to deliver an electrical waveform to a vagus nerve. The rules engine further determines whether an electrical waveform should be applied to the heart and, if so, the type of electrical waveform. | 11-27-2014 |
20150032170 | ARRHYTHMIA ELECTROTHERAPY DEVICE AND METHOD WITH PROVISIONS FOR MITIGATING PATIENT DISCOMFORT - Apparatus and method for treating an arrhythmia in a patient using an electrotherapy device such as a subcutaneous pacing device. The device applies a series of electrotherapy pulses in response to the presence of the arrhythmia. Various provisions are disclosed for mitigating pain or discomfort as a result of the electrotherapy pulses. | 01-29-2015 |
20150088216 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION OF IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - A system including a programmable implantable monitoring device and a programmer for programming the device and a method of use thereof. The programmer may be configured to transmit programming commands responsive to entry of a reason for monitoring to the implantable device including a prioritization of an arrhythmia storage criterion. The implantable may be configured to thereafter store and/or transmit records of the arrhythmia according to the prioritization. The programmer may be configured to transmit the patient's age to the implantable device and the implantable may be configured to thereafter apply arrhythmia detection criteria based upon the patient's age. | 03-26-2015 |
20150088217 | IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC STIMULATION DEVICE AND METHOD THAT STABILIZES VENTRICULAR RATE DURING EPISODES OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - An implantable cardiac stimulation device provides electrical stimulation therapy to stabilize the ventricular rate of a heart during episodes of atrial fibrillation. The stimulation therapy may be a plurality of sub-threshold stimulation pulses delivered to capture AV node vagal innervations following the detection of atrial fibrillation. | 03-26-2015 |
20150088218 | METHOD TO STABILIZE VENTRICULAR RATE DURING EPISODES OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - A method to provide electrical stimulation therapy to stabilize ventricular rate of a heart during episodes of atrial fibrillation. The stimulation therapy may be a plurality of stimulation pulses delivered to the AV node during the AV node refractory period following the sensing of an atrial event. | 03-26-2015 |
20160015984 | MULTI-CHAMBER INTRACARDIAC PACING SYSTEM - The control module of a first pacemaker included in an implantable medical device system including the first pacemaker and a second pacemaker is configured to set a pacing escape interval in response to a far field pacing pulse sensed by the first pacemaker. The far field pacing pulse is a pacing pulse delivered by the second pacemaker. The pacing escape interval is allowed to continue without restarting the in response to a far field intrinsic event sensed by the first pacemaker during the pacing escape interval. The first pacemaker delivers a cardiac pacing pulse to the heart upon expiration of the pacing escape interval. | 01-21-2016 |
20160015985 | MULTI-CHAMBER INTRACARDIAC PACING SYSTEM - A medical device system including at least a first implantable medical device and a second implantable medical device is configured to establish by a control module of the first implantable medical device whether the second implantable medical device is present in a patient and self-configure an operating mode of the control module in response to establishing that the second implantable medical device is present. | 01-21-2016 |
20160022999 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND DISCRIMINATING TACHYCARDIA IN A SUBCUTANEOUSLY IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC DEVICE - A medical device and associated method for discriminating cardiac events includes sensing a cardiac signal spatially located across approximately a full duration of a predetermined sensing window. A match score is determined corresponding to the sensed cardiac signal. A beat feature of multiple beat features across less than the full duration of the sensing window is determined, the beat feature being selected from the multiple beat features in response to the match score. Cardiac event evidence is accumulated in response to the match score and the determined beat feature, and cardiac events are discriminated in response to the accumulated cardiac evidence. | 01-28-2016 |
20160030743 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO OPTIMIZE ANTI-TACHYCARDIAL PACING (ATP) - Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for prevention and/or remediation of cardiac arrhythmias, e.g. optimizing anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) algorithms. More particularly, implantable devices are provided that measure and treat cardiac arrhythmias. By monitoring the ATP attempt from additional electrodes, far-field morphology analyses, and/or measuring the return interval from a failed ATP attempt; the devices may estimate when entrainment has occurred, the amount of delay within the reentrant tachycardia, and/or tachycardia termination/acceleration. These variables and occurrences can be used to optimize the first and/or subsequent ATP attempts. Furthermore, other exemplary embodiments describe methods to integrate electrical restitution properties into the design of ATP pacing algorithms to facilitate tachycardia termination. | 02-04-2016 |
20160121128 | LEADLESS DUAL-CHAMBER PACING SYSTEM AND METHOD - In accordance with an embodiment, a system and method is provided for providing communications between first and second implantable medical devices (IMDs). The system comprises a first implantable medical device (IMD) configured to transmit a first event message during or preceding a first cardiac cycle, and a second IMD configured to receive the first event message, wherein receipt of the first event message configures the second IMD to generate pacing pulses for only a predetermined number (“n”) of consecutive cardiac cycles, wherein n is an integer equal to or greater than 2. The method comprises transmitting a first event message during or preceding a first cardiac cycle from the first IMD, receiving the first event message at the second IMD, in response to receiving the first event message, arming the second IMD to generate a pacing pulse for a second cardiac cycle, and arming the second IMD to generate a pacing pulse for only a predetermined number of consecutive cardiac cycles immediately subsequent to the second cardiac cycle. | 05-05-2016 |