Method and apparatus for detecting a state of imminent cardiac arrhythmia in response to a nerve signal from the autonomic nerve system to the heart, and for administrating anti-arrhythmia therapy in response thereto

A method for detecting, a state of imminent cardiac arrhythmia of a heart of a subject and for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy to said subject in response thereto, comprising the steps of:

• implanting a sensor in an extracardiac position in said subject and directly sensing nerve signals conveying information from at least one member of the autonomic nervous system, of the group consisting of the sympathetic and vagus nerves of said subject, to said heart of said subject, and generating a single sensor signal corresponding to the sensed nerve signals;
• comparing said single sensor signal to a threshold value defining a condition indicative of an arrhythmia and emitting an output signal indicating a state of imminent arrhythmia dependent on a relationship of said single sensor signal relative to said threshold value;
• and
• administering anti-arrhythmia therapy to said subject upon emission of said output signal.

An apparatus for detecting a condition indicative of imminent cardiac arrhythmia of a heart of a subject and for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy in response thereto, comprising:

• nerve sensor means, placeable in an extracardiac position in said subject for directly sensing nerve signals conveying information from at least one member of the autonomic nerve system, of the group consisting of the sympathetic and vagus nerves of said subject, to said heart of said subject, said nerve sensor means generating a nerve sensor signal corresponding to the sensed nerve signals;
• a comparator supplied with said nerve sensor signal and having a threshold value defining an autonomic nervous system condition indicative of an arrhythmia, said comparator emitting a comparator output signal dependent on a relationship of said nerve sensor signal relative to said threshold value;
• hemodynamic sensor means, placeable relative to a blood vessel in said subject, for monitoring blood pressure in said blood vessel, said hemodynamic sensor means generating a hemodynamic sensor signal corresponding to the blood pressure;
• hemodynamic signal monitoring means supplied with said hemodynamic sensor signal for analyzing said hemodynamic sensor signal relative to hemodynamic conditions indicative of an arrhythmia, said hemodynamic signal monitor emitting a hemodynamic output signal dependent on a relationship of said hemodynamic sensor signal to said hemodynamic condition;
• control means, supplied with said comparator output signal and said hemodynamic output signal, for generating a control output signal indicating a state of imminent arrhythmia dependent on said comparator output signal and said hemodynamic output signal;
• and
• means for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy to said subject upon emission of said control output signal.

A method for detecting a condition indicative of imminent cardiac arrhythmia of a heart of a subject and for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy in response thereto, comprising the steps of:

• implanting a sensor in an extracardiac position in said subject and directly sensing nerve signals conveying information from at least one member of the autonomic nervous system, of the group consisting of the sympathetic and vagus nerves of said subject, to said heart of said subject, and generating a sensor signal corresponding to the sensed nerve signals;
• comparing said nerve sensor signal to a threshold value defining an autonomic nervous system condition indicative of an arrhythmia, and emitting a comparator output signal dependent on a relationship of said nerve sensor signal relative to said threshold value;
• implanting a hemodynamic sensor relative to a blood vessel in said subject, and monitoring blood pressure in said blood vessel, and generating a hemodynamic sensor signal corresponding to the blood pressure;
• analyzing said hemodynamic sensor signal relative to hemodynamic conditions indicative of an arrhythmia, and emitting a hemodynamic output signal dependent on a relationship of said hemodynamic sensor signal to said hemodynamic condition;
• generating a control output signal indicating a state of imminent arrhythmia dependent on said comparator output signal and said hemodynamic output signal;
• and
• administering anti-arrhythmia therapy to said subject upon emission of said control output signal.