Heart therapy device

A heart therapy device, comprising:

• a heart rate detection means for detecting a heart rate, the heart rate detection means having an output;
• an evaluation and control means coupled to the output of the heart rate detection means, the evaluation and control means having an output and being for evaluating a measured heart rate, including allocating the measured heart rate to one of a first, second and third heart rate value range, and for outputting a therapy control signal in accordance with said allocation, the evaluation and control means including:
• a three-area memory for storing the first, second, and third heart rate value ranges, the heart rate value ranges ascending incrementally in value,
• a heart rate discriminator coupled to the heart rate detection means and the three-area memory for allocating a measured heart rate to the first, second or third heart rate value range, and for outputting a corresponding first, second or third discriminator output signal,
• a stability evaluation means for evaluating heart rate stability over a predetermined period of time in response to the output of the second heart rate discriminator output signal and outputting a stability output signal and, and
• a logical processing unit for processing the second discriminator output signal and the stability output signal for generating a second or third therapy control signal, while the first and third discriminator output signals being directly outputted as first and third therapy control signals, respectively;
• and
• a therapy means coupled to the output of said evaluation and control means for producing at least two different, uniquely pre-defined therapies in response to said second and third therapy control signal, respectively, the therapy means including:
• a therapy memory having at least three freely addressable memory areas for storing the first, second, and third therapy control signals, respectively, the first and third memory area being directly addressable by the heart rate discriminator stage, the second memory area being exclusively addressable through a first logical AND gate, and the third memory area being additionally addressable through a second logical AND gate, wherein each of the logical AND gates have input sides that are connected to the outputs of the heart rate discriminator and the stability evaluation means.

An automatic heart pacemeaker/defibrillator arrangement, comprising:

• a heart rate detection means for detecting a heart rate, the heart rate detection means having an output;
• an evaluation and control means coupled to the output of the heart rate detection means, the evaluation and control means having an output and being for evaluating a measured heart rate, including allocating the measured heart rate to one of a first, second and third heart rate value range, and for outputting a therapy control signal in accordance with said allocation, the evaluation and control means including:
• a three-area memory for storing the first, second, and third heart rate value ranges, the heart rate value ranges ascending incrementally in value,
• a heart rate discriminator coupled to the heart rate detection means and the three-area memory for allocating a measured heart rate to the first, second or third heart rate value range, and for outputting a corresponding first, second or third discriminator output signal,
• a stability evaluation means for evaluating heart rate stability over a predetermined period of time in response to the output of the second heart rate discriminator output signal and outputting a stability output signal and, and
• a logical processing unit for processing the second discriminator output signal and the stability output signal for generating a second or third therapy control signal,
• while the first and third discriminator output signals being directly outputted as first and third therapy control signals, respectively;
• a therapy means coupled to the output of said evaluation and control means for producing at least two different, uniquely pre-defined therapies in response to said second and third therapy control signal, respectively
• a pacemaker means for delivering a predetermined stimulation pulse sequence in response to the second therapy control signal, or in response to the first therapy control signal;
• and
• a defibrillator for delivering a shock pulse in response to the third therapy control signal.

An automatic heart pacemeaker/defibrillator arrangement, comprising:

• a heart rate detection means for detecting a heart rate, the heart rate detection means having an output;
• an evaluation and control means coupled to the output of the heart rate detection means, the evaluation and control means having an output and being for evaluating a measured heart rate, including allocating the measured heart rate to one of a first, second and third heart rate value range, and for outputting a therapy control signal in accordance with said allocation, the evaluation and control means including:
• a three-area memory for storing the first, second, and third heart rate value ranges, the heart rate value ranges ascending incrementally in value,
• a heart rate discriminator coupled to the heart rate detection means and the three-area memory for allocating a measured heart rate to the first, second or third heart rate value range, and for outputting a corresponding first, second or third discriminator output signal,
• a stability evaluation means for evaluating heart rate stability over a predetermined period of time in response to the output of the second heart rate discriminator output signal and outputting a stability output signal, and
• a logical processing unit for processing the second discriminator output signal and the stability output signal for generating a second or third therapy control signal, while the first and third discriminator output signals being directly outputted as first and third therapy control signals, respectively;
• and
• a therapy means coupled to the output of said evaluation and control means for producing at least two different, uniquely pre-defined therapies in response to said second and third therapy control signal, respectively,
• wherein the second therapy control signal characterizes a heart rate of high stability occurring within the second heart rate value range, the third therapy control signal characterizes a heart rate of low stability occurring within the second heart rate value range, and the defibrillator is for outputting a shock pulse of low energy in response to the second therapy control signal, and a shock pulse of high energy in response to the third therapy control signal.