Device and method to discriminate between supraventricular tachycardias and ventricular arrhythmias
AssigneeUniversity of Pittsburgh
InventorSamir F. Saba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention provides a method to discriminate between ventricular arrhythmia and supraventricular tachycardia by detecting an earliest arriving electrical signal following anti-tachycardia pacing. Also disclosed is an implantable cardiac defibrillator that is capable of simultaneous atrioventricular anti-tachycardia pacing bursts and detecting an earliest arriving electrical signal. This discrimination capability reduces the incidence of inappropriate shocks from dual-chamber implantable cardiac defibrillators to near zero and provides a method to differentially diagnose supraventricular tachycardia from ventricular tachycardia.
Claims26
A device, comprising:
- a) a implantable pacemaker element;
- b) a implantable defibrillator element connected to said pacemaker element;
- and
- c) a plurality of atrial and ventricular pacing leads connected to said pacemaker element, wherein said pacing leads are configured for simultaneous activation.
A method, comprising:
- a) providing:
- i) a patient implanted with a device, comprising;
- 1) a implantable pacemaker element;
- and
- 2) a plurality of atrial and ventricular pacing leads connected to said pacemaker element, wherein said pacing leads are configured for simultaneous activation and coursing to the ventricles and atria;
- and
- ii) a plurality of sensing leads connected to said pacemaker coursing to the ventricles and atria;
- b) initiating one or more pacing bursts by said pacemaker element, wherein said ventricles and atria are simultaneously paced;
- and
- c) detecting an earliest arriving electrical signal following termination of said pacing bursts.
A method, comprising:
- a) providing;
- i) a patient;
- ii) an electrocardiogram array;
- iii) a plurality of intracardiac quadripole catheters, wherein said catheters are configured for simultaneous atrial and ventricular pacing;
- and
- iv) a computer configured to receive electrical signals from said catheters;
- b) placing said array on the skin surface of said patient;
- c) inserting said catheters into said patient;
- d) simultaneously pacing said atria and ventricles;
- and
- e) detecting with said computer an earliest arriving electrical signal.
A method to detect the origin of a cardia arrythmia, comprising:
- a) providing;
- i) a patient exhibiting cardiac arrhythmia;
- ii) a system comprising a plurality of pacing leads and a plurality of sensing leads;
- b) simultaneously pacing the atria and ventricles of said patient;
- and
- c) sensing with said sensing leads said atrial and ventricular electrical activity after said pacing under conditions such that the earliest arriving electrical signal is detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.