Subcutaneous cardiac stimulator employing post-shock transthoracic asystole prevention pacing

An apparatus for providing subcutaneous cardiac stimulation, comprising:

• a housing;
• energy delivery circuitry provided in the housing, the energy delivery circuitry comprising a defibrillation energy storage source;
• first and second electrodes respectively coupled to the energy delivery circuitry and arranged in a spaced relationship with respect to cardiac tissue and vasculature for transthoracic cardiac sensing and energy delivery;
• and
• detection/control circuitry provided in the housing and coupled to the energy delivery circuitry, the detection/control circuitry detecting cardiac asystole subsequent to delivery of a defibrillation therapy and transthoracicly delivering a pacing therapy via the energy delivery circuitry to terminate the detected cardiac asystole using residual energy from the defibrillation energy storage source.

An apparatus for providing subcutaneous cardiac stimulation, comprising:

• a housing;
• energy delivery circuitry provided in the housing;
• first and second electrodes respectively coupled to the energy delivery circuitry and arranged in a spaced relationship with respect to cardiac tissue and vasculature for transthoracic cardiac sensing and energy delivery;
• and
• a detection/control circuitry provided in the housing and coupled to the energy delivery circuitry, the detection/control circuitry detecting cardiac asystole subsequent to delivery of a defibrillation therapy and transthoracicly delivering a non-physiologic, life sustaining pacing therapy to terminate the detected cardiac asystole.

An apparatus for providing subcutaneous cardiac stimulation, comprising:

• means for detecting cardiac asystole subsequent to delivery of a defibrillation therapy;
• means for providing energy for the defibrillation therapy, the providing means comprising a subcutaneous defibrillation energy storage source;
• and
• means for transthoracicly delivering a pacing therapy to terminate the detected cardiac asystole using residual energy from the defibrillation energy storage source.

An apparatus for providing subcutaneous cardiac stimulation, comprising:

• means for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia necessitating a cardioversion or defibrillation therapy;
• means for providing energy for the cardioversion or defibrillation therapy, the providing means comprising a subcutaneous cardioversion/defibrillation energy storage source;
• means for delivering the cardioversion or defibrillation therapy in response to the detecting means detecting the cardiac arrhythmia;
• means for detecting a condition necessitating pacing therapy delivery;
• and
• means for transthoracicly delivering a pacing therapy using residual energy from the defibrillation energy storage source in response to detecting the condition necessitating pacing therapy delivery.