External pacing device with discomfort management

A method of controlling discomfort of a patient during pacing by an external medical device, the method comprising:

• determining, during a baseline process, at least one of a range of values for a discomfort parameter corresponding to at least one pacing routine of the external medical device and a patient discomfort threshold value corresponding to the at least one pacing routine;
• detecting a cardiac condition of the patient, the cardiac condition being associated with the at least one pacing routine;
• executing the at least one pacing routine;
• monitoring the discomfort parameter of the patient during execution of the at least one pacing routine;
• and
• adjusting, responsive to the discomfort parameter transgressing the at least one of the range of values and the patient discomfort threshold value, at least one characteristic of the at least one pacing routine.

A bodily-attached ambulatory medical device comprising:

• at least one therapy electrode configured to be disposed on a patient;
• and
• a treatment manager, coupled to the at least one therapy electrode, configured to
• execute a baseline process to determine at least one of a range of values for a discomfort parameter corresponding to at least one pacing routine and a patient discomfort threshold value corresponding to the at least one pacing routine,
• detect a cardiac condition of the patient, and
• execute the at least one pacing routine, the at least one pacing routine being associated with the cardiac condition and having at least one characteristic configured for the patient's tolerance for discomfort based on the at least one of the range of values for the discomfort parameter and the patient discomfort threshold value.