Addressing recurrent atrial fibrillation
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsEduardo N. Warman, Stefan Holzer, Helmut Puererfellner, Douglas A. Hettrick, Paul D. Ziegler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable medical device is directed to techniques for applying overdrive pacing to one or both atria following termination of an AF episode, to prevent a recurrent AF episode. The implantable medical device such as a pacemaker applies overdrive pacing according to overdrive pacing parameters, and sets the parameters as a function of the response of the patient to overdrive pacing. The parameters may be adjusted upward or downward, so that overdrive pacing may be applied effectively but not over-applied.
Claims23
A method comprising:
- controlling a pulse generator to deliver overdrive pacing therapy to an atrium via an electrode disposed proximate to the atrium of a heart according to an overdrive pacing parameter following an episode of atrial fibrillation;
- monitoring for an episode of recurrent atrial fibrillation;
- receiving a threshold via a telemetry unit;
- computing a measure of episodes of atrial fibrillation in an evaluation period that are followed by recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation;
- comparing the measure to the threshold;
- and
- setting the overdrive pacing parameter as a function of the comparing.
A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
- control a pulse generator to deliver overdrive pacing therapy to an atrium via an electrode disposed proximate to the atrium of the heart according to an overdrive pacing parameter following a first episode of atrial fibrillation;
- monitor for an episode of recurrent atrial fibrillation;
- receive a threshold via a telemetry unit;
- compute a measure of episodes of atrial fibrillation in an evaluation period that are followed by recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation;
- compare the measure to the threshold;
- and
- set the overdrive pacing parameter as a function of the comparing.
An implantable medical device comprising:
- at least one electrode disposed proximate to an atrium of a heart;
- a pulse generator coupled to the electrode;
- a processor to control the pulse generator to deliver overdrive pacing therapy to the atrium via the electrode according to an overdrive pacing parameter following an episode of atrial fibrillation, monitor for an episode of recurrent atrial fibrillation, and set the overdrive pacing parameter as a function of the monitoring;
- and
- a telemetry unit to receive a threshold, wherein the processor computes a measure of episodes of atrial fibrillation in an evaluation period that are followed by recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation, compares the measure to a threshold and sets an overdrive pacing parameter as a function of the comparison.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.