Apparatus for Strengthening Muscle Contraction (e.g., Cardiac Muscle Contraction) Using Electric Fields

An apparatus for increasing a contraction force of at least one muscle in a subject, the apparatus comprising:

• a controller;
• a waveform generator that, while operating under the control of the controller, generates an output of alternating voltage pulses;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes, electrically coupled to the output of the waveform generator, configured to deliver the alternating voltage pulses to a vicinity of the at least one muscle,
• wherein the controller is programmed to control the waveform generator so that the alternating voltage pulses generated by the waveform generator are timed to coincide with a time when increasing the contraction force of the at least one muscle is desired.

A method for increasing a contraction force of at least one muscle in a subject, the method comprising:

• positioning a plurality of electrodes on or in the subject's body at respective positions selected such that when an alternating voltage is applied between the plurality of electrodes, an alternating electric field will be induced within the at least one muscle;
• applying alternating voltage pulses between the plurality of electrodes at a plurality of times when increasing the contraction force of the at least one muscle is desired, wherein the alternating voltage pulses cause alternating current pulses to pass through the at least one muscle and increase an amount of free intracellular Ca2+ ions available to the at least one muscle;
• and
• at the end of each of the plurality of times, discontinuing the alternating voltage pulses, so as to cause a reduction in the amount of free intracellular Ca2+ ions available to the at least one muscle.