Cardiac-safe electrotherapy method and apparatus

A method for treating a loss of cardiac output in a patient using an electrotherapy device, the method comprising:

• monitoring the patient, by the electrotherapy device, for indicia of a loss of cardiac output;
• determining, by the electrotherapy device, whether a heart rate of the patient is in a predefined slow range, a predefined moderate range, or a predefined fast range;
• in response to the patient's heart rate being in the predefined slow range according to the determining, applying pacing pulses to the patient, by the electrotherapy device, the pacing pulses having energy and waveform characteristics suitable for treating a bradycardia condition wherein each of the pacing pulses initiates a naturally-propagating wave of action potentials in the heart of the patient;
• in response to the patient's heart rate being in the predefined moderate range, applying a series of medium voltage therapy (MVT) pulses to the patient by the electrotherapy device, the MVT pulses having an insufficient energy level to shock the heart into a reset state, but having an energy level and waveform characteristics that cause targeted musculature in the patient to be electrically activated into a contracted state, electrically maintained in the contracted state for a compression duration, and thereafter allowed to relax, thereby achieving a forced compression and release of that targeted musculature;
• in response to the patient's heart rate being in the predefined fast range, applying to the patient, by the electrotherapy device, electrotherapy suitable for treating ventricular arrhythmia.

A method for treating a loss of cardiac output in a patient using an electrotherapy device, the method comprising:

• storing, by the electrotherapy device, a confidence threshold representing a minimal confidence level of ventricular fibrillation determination based on use of a plurality of fibrillation discriminators;
• monitoring the patient, by the electrotherapy device, for physiologic indicia of ventricular fibrillation;
• in response to a detected presence of ventricular fibrillation based on the monitoring, administering to the patient, by the electrotherapy device, electrotherapy pulses having energy and waveform characteristics sufficient to shock the heart into a reset state;
• thereafter, monitoring the patient, by the electrotherapy device, for any continued presence of physiologic indicia of ventricular fibrillation;
• in response to a continued presence of indicia of ventricular fibrillation, determining, by the electrotherapy device, whether the confidence threshold of ventricular fibrillation has been met by the plurality of the fibrillation discriminators;
• in response to the confidence threshold having been met, administering, by the electrotherapy device, a series of medium voltage therapy (MVT) pulses to the patient, the MVT pulses having an insufficient energy level to shock the heart into a reset state, but having an energy level and waveform characteristics that cause targeted musculature in the patient to be electrically activated into a contracted state, electrically maintained in the contracted state for a compression duration, and thereafter allowed to relax, thereby achieving a forced compression and release of that targeted musculature, and thereafter administering to the patient, by the electrotherapy device, additional electrotherapy pulses having energy and waveform characteristics sufficient to shock the heart into a reset state;
• and
• in response to the confidence threshold not having been met, forgoing administration of MVT by the electrotherapy device, and administering to the patient, by the electrotherapy device, additional electrotherapy pulses having energy and waveform characteristics sufficient to convert an arrhythmia.