Implantable cardiac stimulation device for and method of monitoring progression or regression of heart disease by monitoring evoked response features

A cardiac stimulation system that monitors for a progression or regression of congestive heart failure, the system comprising:

• a pulse generator that generates pacing pulses to be delivered to the heart;
• at least one lead to deliver the pacing pulses to the heart, to sense electrical evoked responses of the heart, and to generate evoked response signals;
• and
• control circuitry that is in communication with the at least one lead, wherein the control circuit processes the evoked response signals to generate quantized values for at least one characteristic of the evoked response signals, wherein the control circuitry processes the quantized values as a function of time to obtain a trend and to determine if progression or regression of congestive heart failure exists, and wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one of a positive slope in the evoked response signals, a continuity in the evoked response signals, and a T-wave slew rate in the evoked response signals;
• wherein the system comprises an external programmer, and wherein the control circuitry is housed in the programmer.

A system that monitors for a progression or regression of congestive heart failure, the system comprising:

• means for applying stimulation pulses to the heart;
• means for sensing electrical evoked responses of the heart;
• means for processing the electrical evoked responses and providing corresponding evoked response signals, the evoked response signals comprising at least one of a positive slope in the evoked response signals, a continuity in the evoked response signals, and a T-wave slew rate in the evoked response signals;
• means for analyzing the evoked response signals as a function of time;
• and
• means for determining if progression or regression of congestive heart failure exists based on the means for analyzing;
• and
• means for adjusting pacing parameters commensurate with relative changes in the trend if progression or regression of congestive heart failure exists.

A cardiac stimulation system that monitors for a progression or repression of congestive heart failure, the system comprising:

• a pulse generator that generates pacing pulses to be delivered to the heart;
• at least one lead to deliver the pacing pulses to the heart, to sense electrical evoked responses of the heart, and to generate evoked response signals;
• and
• control circuitry that is in communication with the at least one lead, wherein the control circuit processes the evoked response signals to generate quantized values for at least one characteristic of the evoked response signals, wherein the control circuitry processes the quantized values as a function of time to obtain a trend and to determine if progression or repression of congestive heart failure exists, and wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one of a positive slope in the evoked response signals, a continuity in the evoked response signals, and a T-wave slew rate in the evoked response signals;
• wherein the control circuitry adjusts pacing parameters commensurate with relative changes in the trend if progression or regression of congestive heart failure exists.