Stress reduction pacing mode for arrhythmia prevention
AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
InventorsJoseph M. Pastore, Steven D. Girouard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method preventing cardiac arrhythmias with pacing therapy is disclosed. Upon detection of a pre-arrhythmic condition, an implantable cardiac rhythm management device is configured to deliver pacing therapy in a manner that pre-excites particular myocardial sites that have been identified as stressed sites and likely locations for the origination of arrhythmias. Such pacing results in a reduction in myocardial wall stress at those sites during systole and reduces the probability of an arrhythmia occurring.
Claims19
A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- sensing channels configured to sense cardiac electrical activity at a plurality of myocardial sites;
- pacing channels configured to deliver pacing pulses to one or more of the plurality of myocardial sites;
- a controller configured to control the delivery of pacing pulses in accordance with a programmed pacing mode;
- circuitry configured to detect a pre-arrhythmic condition based upon a change in sensed cardiac electrical activity;
- and,
- circuitry configured to switch an operating mode of the device from a normal mode to a stress reduction mode upon detection of a pre-arrhythmic condition, where the stress reduction mode delivers pre-excitation pacing to particular identified stressed myocardial sites to an extent greater than the normal mode in order to reduce myocardial wall stress at the stressed sites.
A method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- sensing cardiac electrical activity at a plurality of myocardial sites;
- delivering pacing pulses to one or more of the plurality of myocardial sites in accordance with a programmed pacing mode;
- monitoring for changes in one or more physiological parameters derived from sensed cardiac electrical activity in order to detect a pre-arrhythmic condition;
- and,
- switching an operating mode of the device from a normal mode to a stress reduction mode upon detection of a pre-arrhythmic condition, where the stress reduction mode delivers pre-excitation pacing to particular identified stressed myocardial sites to an extent greater than the normal mode in order to reduce myocardial wall stress at the stressed sites.
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for sensing cardiac electrical activity at a plurality of myocardial sites;
- means for delivering pacing pulses to one or more of the plurality of myocardial sites;
- means for monitoring for changes one or more physiological parameters derived from sensed cardiac electrical activity in order to detect a pre-arrhythmic condition;
- means for identifying stressed myocardial sites;
- and,
- means for initiating delivery of pre-excitation pacing to particular identified stressed myocardial sites in response to detection of a pre-arrhythmic condition, where the pre-excitation pacing excites an identified stressed myocardial site before other myocardial regions during systole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.