Systems and methods for treating cardiac arrhythmias

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for delivering a defibrillation shock to a heart of a patient, the ICD comprising:

• two or more electrodes;
• a charge storage device for storing a charge that can be delivered to shock the heart via two or more of the electrodes;
• a controller operatively coupled to two or more of the electrodes and the charge storage device, the controller configured to:
• identify an occurrence of a cardiac arrhythmia;
• in response to identifying an occurrence of a cardiac arrhythmia:
• determine whether the identified cardiac arrhythmia is not of one or more predetermined types of cardiac arrhythmias;
• wait to initiate charging of the charge storage device of the ICD when the identified cardiac arrhythmia is determined not to be of the one or more predetermined types of cardiac arrhythmias;
• initiate charging of the charge storage device of the ICD when the identified cardiac arrhythmia is not determined to be not of the one or more predetermined types of cardiac arrhythmias;
• and
• send an instruction intended for reception by a Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker (LCP), the instruction adapted to instruct the LCP to initiate application of an ATP therapy by the LCP while charging or while waiting to charge the charge storage device of the ICD.

A method implemented by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), wherein the ICD includes a charge storage device for storing a charge that can be delivered to shock the heart of a patient, the method comprising:

• determining an occurrence of a cardiac arrhythmia;
• determining whether the identified cardiac arrhythmia has one or more predetermined characteristics;
• waiting to initiate charging of the charge storage device of the ICD when the identified cardiac arrhythmia is determined to have the one or more predetermined characteristics;
• and
• initiating charging of the charge storage device of the ICD when the identified cardiac arrhythmia is determined to not have the one or more predetermined characteristics;
• and
• after the identified cardiac arrhythmia is determined, sending an instruction intended for reception by a Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker (LCP) adapted to instruct the LCP to deliver an Anti-Tachyarrhythmia Pacing (ATP) therapy while the ICD charges or waits to charge the charge storage device of the ICD.