Method for improving cardiac function following delivery of a defibrillation shock
AssigneeThe UAB Research Foundation
InventorsGregory P. Walcott, Fred William Chapman, Raymond E. Ideker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of reducing the likelihood of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after defibrillation in a subject comprises administering to a subject afflicted with fibrillation a first treatment waveform, the first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate the heart; and then administering to the subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates the heart and restores organized electrical activity in the heart. The first treatment waveform reduces the likelihood of onset of PEA following the second treatment waveform, as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of the first treatment waveform.
Claims206
A method of reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation in a subject afflicted with a fibrillating heart, said method comprising the steps of:
- administering to a subject afflicted with fibrillation a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then
- administering to said subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
A system for the defibrillation of the heart of a patient in need of such treatment, which system provides reduced likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation in a subject afflicted with a fibrillating heart, said system comprising:
- a power supply;
- and
- a controller operatively associated with said power supply, said controller configured for delivering a defibrillation sequence comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
A method for the external defibrillation of the heart of a patient afflicted with ventricular fibrillation, comprising the steps of:
- externally administering to said patient a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then
- externally administering to said subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart.
An external defibrillation system for the external defibrillation of the heart of a patient afflicted with ventricular fibrillation, comprising:
- a power supply;
- and
- a controller operatively associated with said power supply, said controller configured for delivering a defibrillation sequence comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart.
A method of reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation with an implantable defibrillator in a subject afflicted with a fibrillating heart, said method comprising the steps of:
- administering to a subject afflicted with fibrillation a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then
- administering to said subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
An implantable defibrillator for defibrillating the heart of a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- a power supply;
- and
- a controller operatively associated with said power supply, said controller configured for delivering a defibrillation sequence comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart and insufficient to reduce the defibrillation threshold of said subject;
- and then a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
A defibrillation system for the defibrillation of the heart of a patient afflicted with ventricular fibrillation, comprising:
- a detector for detecting electrical activity from the heart of said patient during ventricular fibrillation;
- a power supply;
- a signal analyzer for determining the likelihood of pulseless electrical activity in said patient after delivery of a defibrillation treatment waveform to said patient;
- and
- a controller operatively associated with said detector, said power supply and said signal analyzer, said controller configured for delivering a defibrillation sequence, said defibrillation sequence optionally comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart, and then delivering a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- and wherein said first treatment waveform is delivered when a high likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined, and said first treatment waveform is not delivered when a low likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined.
A system for defibrillation of the heart of a patient afflicted with ventricular fibrillation, comprising:
- a detector for detecting electrical activity from the heart of said patient during ventricular fibrillation;
- a power supply;
- a controller operatively associated with said detector and said power supply, said controller configured for delivering a defibrillation sequence, said defibrillation sequence optionally comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart, and then delivering a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- and wherein said first treatment waveform is delivered when a high likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined, and said first treatment waveform is not delivered when a low likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined.
A method for the external defibrillation of the heart of a patient afflicted with ventricular fibrillation, comprising the steps of:
- externally administering to said patient a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart;
- and
- externally administering to said subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity to said heart;
- wherein said first treatment waveform is administered when a high likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined, and said first treatment waveform is not administered when a low likelihood of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation is determined.
A method of reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation in a subject afflicted with a fibrillating heart, said method comprising the steps of:
- determining a likelihood of pulseless electrical activity following defibrillation of said heart;
- if the likelihood of pulseless electrical activity above a predetermined amount, administering to a subject afflicted with fibrillation a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart;
- and then
- administering to said subject a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
A system for the defibrillation of the heart of a patient in need of such treatment, which system provides reduced likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity after defibrillation in a subject afflicted with a fibrillating heart, said system comprising:
- a power supply;
- and
- a controller operatively associated with said power supply, said controller configured for determining a likelihood of pulseless electrical activity following defibrillation of said heart in a subject afflicted with fibrillation, and, if the likelihood of pulseless electrical activity above a predetermined amount, delivering a defibrillation sequence comprising a first treatment waveform, said first treatment waveform insufficient to defibrillate said heart;
- and then a second treatment waveform that defibrillates said heart and restores organized electrical activity in said heart;
- with said first treatment waveform reducing the likelihood of onset of pulseless electrical activity following said second treatment waveform as compared to that likelihood which would be present in the absence of said first treatment waveform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.