Garment Features for Therapy Electrode Pressure and/or Stabilization in a Wearable Medical Device

A non-invasive wearable ambulatory cardiac defibrillator, comprising:

• a garment configured to be worn around a torso of a patient;
• at least one sensing electrode attached to the garment and configured to sense electrical signal(s) at the surface of the patient's skin indicative of electrical activity of the patient's heart;
• two or more therapy electrodes attached to the garment and configured to deliver one or more defibrillation pulses to the patient, wherein the two or more therapy electrodes comprise:
• an anterior therapy electrode configured to be disposed on an anterior portion of the patient's body;
• and
• at least two posterior therapy electrodes configured to be disposed on a posterior portion of the patient's body;
• a controller in communication with the at least one sensing electrode and the therapy electrodes, the controller configured to receive the electrical signal(s) from the at least one sensing electrodes and to cause delivery of the one or more defibrillation pulses from two or more therapy electrodes based on the controller detecting a cardiac arrhythmia in the received electrical signal(s);
• and
• a panel attached to a back portion of the garment at least partially over the at least two posterior therapy electrodes, the panel exerting a normal force on the at least two posterior therapy electrodes to exert a substantially uniform normal force over the surfaces of the at least two posterior therapy electrodes and/or limit displacement of the at least two posterior therapy electrodes,
• wherein the panel is made from a material that is less elastic than a material of the back portion of the garment.