US 5,395,397 A · Method and apparatus for stimulating a heart

Abstract

A heart stimulator is disclosed which is capable of sensing and stimulating both the atrium and ventricle in a heart such a way that a ventricular stimulation pulse is emitted either after a stimulated or spontaneous atrial event following the atrioventricular interval, or after the expiration of a minimum synchronous interval following a stimulated or spontaneous ventricular event, depending on which interval elapses last. The functioning of the heart stimulator, when the atrium's spontaneous rate is faster than a stimulation rate corresponding to the minimum synchronous interval, is improved by delivering an extra atrial stimulation pulse at a second predetermined atrioventricular interval before the next ventricular stimulation pulse, if the interval between the most recently detected atrial event and the next ventricular stimulation pulse exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for electrically stimulating a heart comprising the steps of:

detecting spontaneous and stimulated cardiac events in each of the atrium and the ventricle of a heart;
delivering a series of atrial stimulation pulses to said atrium at a programmable basic interval;
inhibiting delivery of an atrial stimulation pulse if a spontaneous atrial event is detected during said basic interval;
delivering a ventricular stimulation pulse after expiration of a first atrioventricular interval following each inhibited or stimulated atrial pulse or a spontaneous atrial event, or after expiration of a minimum synchronous interval following a stimulated or spontaneous ventricular event, dependent on which of said first atrial ventricular interval or said minimum synchronous interval elapses last;
and
delivering an extra atrial stimulation pulse at a second predetermined atrioventricular interval before a next ventricular stimulation pulse if an interval between a most recently detected atrial event and said next ventricular stimulation pulse exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

3 more elements

An apparatus for electrically stimulating a heart comprising:

means for detecting spontaneous and stimulated cardiac events in each of the atrium and the ventricle of a heart;
means for delivering a series of atrial stimulation pulses to said atrium at a programmable basic interval;
a control unit including means for inhibiting delivery of an atrial stimulation pulse if a spontaneous atrial event is detected during said basic interval;
said control unit further including means for causing delivery of a ventricular stimulation pulse after expiration of a first atrioventricular interval following each inhibited or stimulated atrial pulse or a spontaneous atrial event, or after expiration of a minimum synchronous interval following a stimulated or spontaneous ventricular event, dependent on which of said first atrial ventricular interval or said minimum synchronous interval elapses last;
and
said control unit further including means for causing delivery of an extra atrial stimulation pulse at a second predetermined atrioventricular interval before a next ventricular stimulation pulse if an interval between a most recently detected atrial event and said next ventricular stimulation pulse exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for stimulating a heart

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for stimulating a heart

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16