Apparatus and method for optimizing capacitor charge in a medical device

A medical device for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising:

• at least one battery;
• means for detection of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;
• at least one high voltage capacitor having low current leakage, said capacitor maintaining a charge between arrhythmia therapies;
• converter means for providing charging current from said battery to said capacitor;
• controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal;
• and
• discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.

A medical device for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising:

• at least one battery;
• means for detection of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;
• at least one high voltage charge capacitor having low current leakage, said at least one high voltage charge capacitor maintains a charge between arrhythmia therapies;
• at least one high voltage delivery capacitor;
• converter means for providing charging current from said battery to said charge capacitor;
• controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal;
• and
• discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said charge capacitor quickly to delivery capacitor and then delivering voltage stored on said delivery capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.

A method for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising the steps of:

• charging at least one high voltage capacitor with current from at least one battery;
• detecting an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;
• maintaining the charge on said at least one capacitor between arrhythmia therapies;
• providing a controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart;
• generating a discharge control signal upon detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart;
• and
• delivering a voltage stored on said at least one capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.