Capture verification for cardiac resynchronization pacing optimization
AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
InventorsQingsheng Zhu, Julio C. Spinelli, Jiang Ding, Yinghong Yu
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Abstract
A system and method for automatically selecting among a plurality of pacing modes based upon capture detection. Patients suffering from heart failure may be optimally treated with different resynchronization pacing modes or configurations. By detecting whether capture is being achieved by a particular configuration or mode, a device is able to automatically switch to one that is both optimal in treating the patient and is successful in capturing the heart with pacing pulses.
Claims20
A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- one or more sensing channels, each channel comprising an electrode connected to a sense amplifier for generating sense signals representing electrical activity in a heart chamber;
- a plurality of pacing channels, each channel comprising an electrode connected to a pulse generator for delivering paces to a selected heart chamber;
- a controller for controlling the delivery of pacing pulses by a selected pacing configuration in accordance with a programmed pacing mode associated with the pacing configuration, wherein the pacing configuration specifies which pacing channels are to be used for delivery of pacing pulses;
- and,
- wherein the controller is programmed to:
- perform a capture verification test at a selected time to test a selected sensing/pacing channel for presence or loss of capture during a pacing pulse, the capture verification test being performed by detecting whether an evoked response occurs during a capture detection window following the output of a pacing pulse;
- and,
- switch from the selected pacing configuration and associated pacing mode to a next pacing configuration and associated pacing mode contained in an ordered list upon detection of a loss of capture in a sensing/pacing channel making up the selected pacing configuration.
A method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- generating sense signals corresponding to cardiac electrical activity through one or more sensing channels;
- outputting pacing pulses through selected pacing channels making up a selected pacing configuration in accordance with a programmed pacing mode associated with the selected pacing configuration;
- performing a capture verification test at a selected time to test a selected pacing channel for presence or loss of capture during a pacing pulse, the capture verification test being performed by detecting or not detecting an evoked response during a capture detection window following the output of a pacing pulse;
- and,
- switching from the selected pacing configuration and associated pacing mode to a next pacing configuration and associated pacing mode contained in an ordered list upon detection of a loss of capture in a pacing channel making up the selected pacing configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.