Pacemaker with improved automatic output regulation
AssigneeTelectronics N.V.
InventorsFrancis J. Callaghan, William Vollmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pacemaker which is provided with an improved automatic regulation circuit which is capable of distinguishing between a fusion beat and loss of capture. The failure to sense an evoked potential following a stimulus may be due to either. The cause is determined by generating a high-energy back-up pulse shortly after the stimulus. Failure to capture by the back-up pulse is an indication that there was just a fusion beat; the sensing of an evoked potential is an indication that the stimulus failed to capture.
Claims15
A pacemaker comprising means for generating pacing pulses;
- means for sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- means responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse for controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse;
- and means responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following generation of said back-up pacing pulse for determining that the preceding pacing pulse resulted in a fusion beat.
A method of operating a pacemaker comprising the steps of generating pacing pulses;
- sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse;
- determining that the preceding pacing pulse resulted in a fusion beat responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of said back-up pacing pulse;
- and determining that the preceding pacing pulse resulted in a heart capture failure responsive to the sensing of an evoked potential following the generation of a back-up pulse.
A method of operating a pacemaker comprising the steps of generating pacing pulses;
- sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse, controlling the generation of back-up pacing pulse;
- and responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following generation of said back-up pacing pulse, determining that the preceding pacing pulse resulted in a fusion beat.
A pacemaker comprising means for generating pacing pulses;
- means for sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- means responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse for controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse;
- and means responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse for increasing the pacing rate;
- and wherein said sensing means senses an evoked potential by integrating the evoked potential and verifying that the integral represents heart capture.
A pacemaker comprising means for generating pacing pulses;
- means for sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- means responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse for controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse;
- and wherein said sensing means senses an evoked potential by integrating the evoked potential and verifying that the integral represents heart capture.
A method of operating a pacemaker comprising the steps of generating pacing pulses;
- sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse, controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse;
- and responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse, increasing the pacing rate;
- and wherein an evoked potential is sensed by integrating the evoked potential and verifying that the integral represents heart capture.
A method of operating a pacemaker comprising the steps of generating pacing pulses;
- sensing an evoked potential in response to the generation of a pacing pulse;
- and responsive to the failure to sense an evoked potential following the generation of a pacing pulse, controlling the generation of a back-up pacing pulse;
- and wherein an evoked potential is sensed by integrating the evoked potential and verifying that the integral represents heart capture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.