Implantable cardiac stimulation device that defibrillates the atria while avoiding the ventricular vulnerable period and method
AssigneePacesetter, Inc.
InventorsGene A. Bornzin, Paul A. Levine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implantable cardiac stimulation device applies defibrillating electrical energy to the atria of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart. The device includes an atrial fibrillation detector that detects atrial fibrillation of the heart, a pacing pulse generator that applies a ventricular pacing pulse to the heart responsive to detection of atrial fibrillation, a timer that times a time period through an evoked response and a T-wave caused by the pacing pulse, and a defibrillation pulse generator that applies defibrillating electrical energy to the atria of the heart after the timer completes the timing of the time period.
Claims61
An implantable cardiac stimulation device that applies defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- an atrial fibrillation detector that detects atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a pacing pulse generator that applies a pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the atrial fibrillation detector detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a timer that times a time period through an evoked response end a T-wave caused by the pacing pulse, the time period completing a predetermined time period after the T-wave ends;
- and
- a defibrillation pulse generator that applies the defibrillating eletrical energy to the at least one atrium of the heart responsive to the timer completing the timing of the time period.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device that applies defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- an atrial fibrillation detector that detects atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a pacing pulse generator that applies a pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the atrial fibrillation detector detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a timer that times a time period through an evoked response and a T-wave caused by the pacing pulse, the time period completing after the T-wave;
- a defibrillation pulse generator that applies the defibrillating electrical energy to the at least one atrium of the heart responsive to the timer completing the timing of the time period;
- and
- an atrial pacing pulse generator that applies an atrial pacing pulse to at least one of the atria after the timer completes the timing of the time period and before the defibrillation pulse generator applies the defibrillating electrical energy to the atria.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device that applies defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- an atrial fibrillation detector that detects atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a pacing pulse generator that applies a pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the atrial fibrillation detector detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- a timer that times a time period through an evoked resoonse and a T-wave caused by the pacing pulse, the time period completing after the T-wave;
- a defibrillation pulse generator that applies the defibrillating electrical energy to the at least one atrium of the heart responsive to the timer completing the timing of the time period;
- and
- an atrial sensing circuit that senses P-waves of the heart and wherein the defibrillation pulse generator applies the defibrillating electrical energy to the atria in timed relation to a sensed P-wave.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device for applying defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- atrial fibrillation detecting means for detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- ventricular pacing pulse generating means for applying a pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the detection of atrial fibrillation;
- timing means for timing a time period through an evoked response and T-wave caused by the ventricular pacing pulse and ending a predetermined time period after the T-wave ends;
- and
- defibrillation pulse generating means for applying defibrillating electrical energy to the atria after the timing means times the time period.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device for applying defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- atrial fibrillation detecting means for detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- ventricular pacing pulse generating means for applying a first pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the detection of atrial fibrillation;
- timing means for timing a time period through an evoked response and T-wave caused by the ventricular pacing pulse;
- defibrillation pulse generating means for applying defibrillating electrical energy to the atria after the timing means times the time period;
- and
- atrial pacing pulse generating means for applying an atrial pacing pulse to at least one of the atria after the timing means times the time period and before the defibrillation pulse generating means applies the defibrillating eletrical energy to the atria.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device for applying defibriliating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart at a time which avoids inducing ventricular fibrillation of the heart, the device comprising:
- atrial fibrillation detecting means for detecting atrial fibrillation of the heart;
- ventricular pacing pulse generating means for applying a first pacing pulse to at least one of the ventricles responsive to the detection of atrial fibrillation;
- timing means for timing a time period through an evoked response and T-wave caused by the ventricular pacing pulse;
- defibrillation pulse generating means for applying defibrillating electrical energy to the atria after the timing means times the time period;
- and
- atrial sensing means for sensing P-waves of the heart and wherein the defibrillation pulse generating means applies the defibrillating electrical energy to the atria in timed relation to a sensed P-wave.
In an implantable cardiac stimulation device, a method of applying defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart, the method comprising:
- stimulating at least one of the ventricles with a ventricular pacing pulse to cause an evoked response and T-wave;
- waiting until the T-wave ends;
- and
- applying defibrillating electrical energy to the at least one atrium a predetermined period after the T-wave ends.
In an implantable cardiac stimulation device, a method of applying defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart, the method comprising:
- stimulating at least one of the ventricles with a ventricular pacing pulse to cause an evoked response and T-wave;
- waiting until the T-wave ends;
- applying defibrillating electrical energy to the at least one atrium after the T-wave ends;
- and
- pacing at least one of the atria after the timing of the time period and before the applying of the defibrillating electrical energy to the atria.
In an implantable cardiac stimulation device, a method of applying defibrillating electrical energy to at least one atrium of a heart, the method comprising:
- stimulating at least one of the ventricles with a ventricular pacing pulse to cause an evoked response and T-wave;
- waiting until the T-wave ends;
- applying defibrillating electrical energy to the at least one atrium after the T-wave ends;
- and
- sensing P-waves of the heart and wherein applying comprises applying the defibrillating electrical energy to the atria in timed relation to a sensed P-wave.
An implantable cardiac stimulation device comprising:
- a lead assembly that is in electrical communication with a heart to sense physiologic activity of the heart and generate corresponding signals, and to deliver stimulation energy to the heart;
- a pulse generator connected to the lead assembly and that generates stimulation pulses to be delivered to the heart via the lead assembly;
- and
- control circuitry connected to the lead assembly and pulse generator, the control circuitry being operative to process the signals from the lead assembly to determine whether atrial fibrillation exists, the control circuitry being operative in response to detection of atrial fibrillation to control the pulse generator to generate at least one pacing pulse for delivery to at least one ventricle to cause an evoked response and T-wave in the at least one ventricle, the control circuitry further being operative to control the pulse generator to generate a defibrillation pulse for delivery to at least one atrium a predetermined period after the T-wave ends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.