US 7,599,741 B2 · Systems and methods for improving heart rate kinetics in heart failure patients

Abstract

Adaptive rate pacing for improving heart rate kinetics in heart failure patients involves determining onset and sustaining of patient activity. The patient's heart rate response to the sustained activity is evaluated during a time window defined between onset of the activity and a steady-state exercise level. If the patient's heart rate response to the sustained activity is determined to be slow, a pacing therapy is delivered at a rate greater than the patient's intrinsic heart rate based on a profile of the patient's heart rate response to varying workloads. If determined not to be slow, the pacing therapy is withheld. Monitoring-only configurations provide for acquisition and organization of physiological data for heart failure patients. These data can be acquired on a per-patient basis and used to assess the HF status of the patient.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for adaptively pacing a heart failure patient in response to patient activity using an implantable medical device, comprising:

determining onset of sustained patient activity;
determining that a heart rate parameter of the patient has reached a steady-state in response to the sustained patient activity;
determining a timing relationship between the onset of sustained patient activity and the heart rate parameter reaching the steady-state;
and
one or both of initiating and changing a pacing therapy based on a comparison of the timing relationship to a profile of the patient's heart rate response to varying workloads indicating slow heart rate response to the sustained patient activity.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for improving heart rate kinetics in heart failure patients

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for improving heart rate kinetics in heart failure patients

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13