Ventricular synchronized atrial pacemaker and method of operation
AssigneeMedtronic B.V.Kerkrade
InventorsHermann D. Funke, Lodewijk-Jozef Herpers
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Abstract
An atrial pacemaker having an atrial pacing rate adjusted to correspond to a detected ventricular heart rate to maintain A-V synchrony in a range between a minimum and maximum pacing rate. Sensed ventricular depolarizations not associated with a preceding atrial pacing stimulus cause the atrial pacing rate to be increased. When A-V synchrony is restored at a higher rate, the rate is decreased. Underdrive stimulation to treat pathologic tachycardia is achieved as the atrial pacing rate is increased in steps to the maximum pacing rate, normally lower than typical tachycardia rates.
Claims25
A synchronous heart pacemaker comprising:
- atrial pacing pulse generator means for generating stimulating pulses adapted to be applied to the atrium at an atrial pacing rate;
- means for sensing ventricular heart depolarizations;
- means for timing the interval between atrial pacing pulses and ventricular depolarizations and for producing a clock signal when ventricular depolarizations occur out of synchronism with atrial pacing pulses;
- and
- atrial pacing rate adjusting means responsive to the clock signal for adjusting the atrial pacing rate to restore synchrony.
A method of synchronous heart pacing comprising the steps of:
- generating atrial pacing stimulating pulses adapted to be applied to the atrium at an atrial pacing rate;
- sensing ventricular heart depolarizations;
- timing the interval between atrial pacing pulses and ventricular depolarizations;
- and
- adjusting the atrial pacing rate when the ventricular depolarizations do not fall within a predetermined atrial-ventricular delay interval following an atrial pacing pulse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.