Implantable device for providing electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction

A vagus nerve stimulator for treating chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• an implantable neurostimulator comprising:
• a pair of helical electrodes;
• a nerve stimulation therapy lead electrically coupled to the pair of helical electrodes;
• a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation comprising a stimulation waveform applied to both of the helical electrodes via the nerve stimulation therapy lead;
• and
• a recordable memory configured to store stimulation parameters comprising a programmable ON-time during which the pulse generator delivers the electrical therapeutic stimulation, a programmable OFF-time during which the electrical therapeutic stimulation is inhibited, and a periodic duty cycle comprising a percentage calculated from a ratio of the ON-time to the OFF-time;
• wherein the periodic duty cycle is between a lower predefined percentage and an upper predefined percentage;
• and
• wherein the pulse generator is further configured to operate under the stimulation parameters stored in the recordable memory.

An implantable device for treating chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• an implantable neurostimulator comprising a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation in alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition;
• a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead electrically coupled to the pulse generator and terminated by a pair of helical electrodes through which therapeutic stimulation is delivered to the patient's cervical vagus nerve;
• and
• a recordable memory configured to store stimulation parameters configured to define a periodic duty cycle for the alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition, the stimulation parameters comprising a programmable ON-time for the stimuli application and a programmable OFF-time for the stimuli inhibition;
• wherein the periodic duty cycle comprises a percentage calculated from a ratio of the ON-time to the OFF-time, the percentage between 5% and 30%;
• and
• wherein the pulse generator is further configured to operate under the stimulation parameters stored in the recordable memory.