Ventricular pacing for prevention of atrial fibrillation
AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
InventorDarrell O. Wagner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for preventing atrial fibrillation arising from a premature atrial contraction. Upon detection of a premature atrial contraction, a pace is delivered to a ventricle at a specified AV interval selected as either a late-pace or early-pace value. The resulting ventricular depolarization then occurs during a time when the atria are not vulnerable to the triggering of fibrillation.
Claims20
A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- an atrial sensing channel for generating atrial electrogram signals;
- circuitry for detecting atrial senses when the atrial electrogram signal exceeds a specified threshold;
- circuitry for measuring a time interval between successive atrial senses and for detecting a premature atrial contraction when the time interval meets a specified criterion;
- a ventricular pacing channel for delivering pacing pulses to a ventricle;
- and,
- circuitry for causing a ventricular pace to be delivered only when a premature atrial contraction is detected, wherein the ventricular pace is delivered at a specified AV interval following the premature atrial contraction.
A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- an atrial sensing channel for generating atrial electrogram signals;
- circuitry for detecting atrial senses when the atrial electrogram signal exceeds a specified threshold;
- circuitry for measuring a time interval between successive atrial senses and for detecting a premature atrial contraction when the time interval meets a specified criterion;
- a ventricular pacing channel for delivering pacing pulses to a ventricle;
- circuitry for causing a ventricular pace to be delivered in accordance with an atrial tracking bradycardia pacing mode such that a ventricular pace is delivered at a specified AV interval following an atrial sense;
- circuitry for modifying the AV interval when a premature atrial contraction is detected.
A method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- detecting an atrial sense when an atrial electrogram signal exceeds a specified threshold;
- measuring a time interval between successive atrial senses and detecting a premature atrial contraction when the time interval meets a specified criterion;
- delivering a pacing pulse to a ventricle when a premature atrial contraction is detected, wherein the ventricular pace is delivered at a specified AV interval following the premature atrial contraction.
A method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- detecting an atrial sense when an atrial electrogram signal exceeds a specified threshold;
- measuring a time interval between successive atrial senses and detecting a premature atrial contraction when the time interval meets a specified criterion;
- delivering pacing pulses to a ventricle in accordance with an atrial tracking bradycardia pacing mode such that a ventricular pace is delivered at a specified AV interval following an atrial sense;
- and, modifying the AV interval when a premature atrial contraction is detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.