# US 2014/0194952 A1 · Method and apparatus for controlling autonomic balance using neural stimulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194952 A1 - Document ID: US20140194952A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/203,782 - Filed: 2014-03-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2005-05-09 - Assignees: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - Applicants: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. - Inventors: Imad Libbus; Andrew P. Kramer; Julio C. Spinelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194952A1 ## CPC - A61N 1/36057: {adapted for stimulating afferent nerves} - A61N 1/36114: {Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation (stimulating the heart A61N1/362)} - A61N 1/36139: {with automatic adjustment} - A61N 1/36585: {controlled by two or more physical parameters} - A61N 1/3621: {for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate} - A61N 1/3627: {for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A neural stimulation system senses autonomic activities and applies neural stimulation to sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves to control autonomic balance. The neural stimulation system is capable of delivering neural stimulation pulses for sympathetic excitation, sympathetic inhibition, parasympathetic excitation, and parasympathetic inhibition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for delivering a therapy to a patient, comprising: applying inhibition to afferent nerve fibers extending from chemoreceptors to the central nervous system of the patient, wherein applying inhibition includes inhibiting nerve traffic in the afferent nerve fibers to provide a therapeutic effect. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising applying sympathetic inhibition to sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from the chemoreceptors to the central nervous system to decrease sympathetic tone, wherein applying the sympathetic inhibition includes inhibiting sympathetic nerve traffic in the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers to provide the therapeutic effect. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the chemoreceptors comprise chemoreceptors in a carotid body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising sensing one or more signals indicative of autonomic activities, and controlling the application of the inhibition using the one or more sensed signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein sensing the one or more signals indicative of autonomic activities comprises sensing nerve traffic associated with the chemoreceptors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein sensing the one or more signals indicative of autonomic activities comprises sensing one or more signals indicative of respiratory activities. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the inhibition comprises applying electrical stimulation pulses. ### Claim 8 A method for delivering a therapy, comprising: sensing one or more physiological parameters indicative of increased sympathetic tone; and inhibiting nerve traffic in the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers from chemoreceptors in a carotid body to decrease sympathetic tone in response to the increased sympathetic tone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein sensing the one or more physiological parameters indicative of increased sympathetic tone comprises sensing nerve traffic corresponding to the chemoreceptors in the carotid body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein sensing the one or more physiological parameters indicative of increased sympathetic tone comprises sensing a signal indicative of respiratory activities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein inhibiting the nerve traffic in the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers comprises delivering electrical pulses to the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers. ### Claim 12 A method for delivering a therapy, comprising: delivering an electrical therapy to a nerve in a sympathetic nervous system; sensing nerve traffic associated with chemoreceptors in a carotid body; and controlling the delivery of the electrical therapy using the detected nerve traffic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein delivering the electrical therapy comprises delivering the electrical therapy to the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from the chemoreceptors in the carotid body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein delivering the electrical therapy comprises delivering inhibitory stimulation to the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from the chemoreceptors in the carotid body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein delivering the electrical therapy comprises delivering electrical stimulation pulses. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein delivering the electrical stimulation pulses comprises delivering the electrical stimulation pulses to decrease sympathetic tone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein sensing the nerve traffic comprises sensing the nerve traffic in sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from the chemoreceptors in the carotid body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein sensing the nerve traffic comprises sensing the nerve traffic to detect increased sympathetic tone, and controlling the delivery of the electrical therapy comprises controlling the delivery of the electrical therapy to decrease sympathetic tone. ### Claim 19 A neural stimulation system, comprising: a stimulation output circuit configured to deliver stimulation to inhibit nerve traffic in sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from chemoreceptors in a carotid body; an autonomic balance monitoring circuit configured detect a signal indicative of autonomic activities; and a stimulation control circuit coupled to the stimulation output circuit and the autonomic balance monitoring circuit, the stimulation control circuit configured to control the delivery of the stimulation using the detected signal indicative of autonomic activities. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the autonomic balance monitoring circuit is configured to detect an increased sympathetic tone, and the stimulation control circuit is configured to control the delivery of the stimulation in response to the detected increased sympathetic tone. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the autonomic balance monitoring circuit is configured to detect nerve traffic in the sympathetic afferent nerve fibers extending from the chemoreceptors, and the stimulation control circuit is configured to control delivery of the stimulation based on the detected nerve traffic. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the autonomic balance monitoring circuit is configured to detect blood pressure, and the stimulation control circuit is configured to control delivery of the stimulation based on the detected blood pressure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the autonomic balance monitoring circuit is configured to detect a signal indicative of respiratory activities, and the stimulation control circuit is configured to control delivery of the stimulation based on the detected signal indicative of respiratory activities. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, where the stimulation output circuit is configured to deliver the stimulation to a nerve target. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, where the stimulation output circuit is configured to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to a nerve target.