Automatic atrial pacing pulse threshold determination utilizing an external programmer and a V-sense electrode
AssigneeTelectronics Pacing Systems, Inc.
InventorsRichard M. T. Lu, Bruce M. Steinhaus, Peter A. Crosby
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Abstract
A clinical programming system is disclosed for use with an implanted cardiac pacemaker to automatically determine the minimum pacing energy which is necessary to evoke an atrial depolarization. The system utilizes a series of pacing pulses of progressively decreasing energies to stimulate the atrium and detects following R-waves. The absence of an R-wave indicates the loss of atrial capture.
Claims15
A method of determining a minimum energy of a pacing pulse necessary to evoke an atrial depolarization response in a heart of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- generating a series of test atrial pacing pulses, each pulse having sequentially decreasing energy;
- verifying an occurrence of a ventricular beat within a predetermined interval following each generated test atrial pacing pulse;
- and
- determining said minimum energy as a function of the energy of the last test atrial pacing pulse which resulted in the occurrence of a ventricular beat within said predetermined interval.
Apparatus for determining a minimum energy of a pacing pulse necessary to evoke an atrial depolarization response in a heart of a patient, comprising:
- means for generating a series of test atrial pacing pulses, each pulse having sequentially decreasing energy;
- means for verifying an occurrence of a ventricular beat within a predetermined interval following each generated test atrial pacing pulse;
- and
- means for determining said minimum energy as a function of the energy of the last test atrial pacing pulse which resulted in the occurrence of a ventricular beat within said predetermined interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.