Combined anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) and high voltage therapy for treating ventricular arrhythmias

A system for treating an arrhythmia of a heart, comprising:

• a first output circuit to deliver anti-tachy pacing (ATP) pulses to the heart;
• a second output circuit to deliver a high-voltage shock;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to the first and second output circuits to control delivery of the ATP pulses relative to delivery of the high-voltage shock based on an adjustable parameter, wherein the control circuit includes a circuit to prevent delivery of ATP pulses from impacting a time of delivery of the high-voltage shock, and wherein the control circuit includes means for synchronizing the second output circuit to deliver a high-voltage shock synchronized with cycles of the heart, and wherein the control circuit includes means for controlling delivery of the high-voltage shock based on a programmable Time_to_Shock parameter that determines a period of time substantially from detection of the arrhythmia to a time the synchronizing is initiated.

A method of treating an arrhythmia of the heart, comprising:

• a.) detecting the arrhythmia;
• b.) controlling delivery of anti-tachy pacing (ATP) pulses to the heart based on at least one programmable parameter;
• and
• c.) controlling delivery of a high-voltage shock to the heart based on the at least one programmable parameter in a manner that ensures that a time of delivery of the high-voltage shock is unaffected by the delivery of the ATP pulses, wherein step b.) includes controlling delivery of ATP pulses based on a programmed shock energy of the high-voltage shock.

A system for treating an arrhythmia of a heart, comprising:

• a first output circuit to deliver anti-tachy pacing (ATP) pulses to the heart;
• at least one capacitor to store a high-voltage shock;
• a second output circuit to deliver the high-voltage shock stored by the capacitor subsequent to a charge-time for charging the at least one capacitor and a synchronization period for synchronizing delivery of the high-voltage shock;
• a control circuit coupled to the first and second output circuits to control delivery of the ATP pulses relative to delivery of the high-voltage shock based on an adjustable parameter;
• and
• sensor processing circuitry determining whether the ATP pulses successfully treat the arrhythmia during a confirmation period, wherein the charge-time for charging the at least one capacitor terminates at a charge time end and wherein the confirmation period and the synchronization period are initiated subsequent to the charge time end.

A system for treating an arrhythmia of a heart, comprising:

• a first output circuit to deliver anti-tachy pacing (ATP) pulses to the heart;
• a second output circuit to deliver a high-voltage shock;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to the first and second output circuits to control delivery of the ATP pulses relative to delivery of the high-voltage shock, the control circuit includes means for controlling delivery of the ATP pulses based on a first parameter that determines the amount of time for delivering the ATP pulses.