Patient controlled atrial shock therapy

A method of controlling an implantable device, comprising:

• detecting an atrial arrhythmia event episode and providing an atrial arrhythmia event status with the implantable device;
• detecting a patient activation request originating from external to the implantable device;
• generating an audible tone responsive to the detection of the patient activation request, the audible tone indicating the arrhythmia event status and availability of atrial shock therapy, wherein generating the audible tone includes generating a first audible tone indicating that an atrial arrhythmia event is in progress and that atrial shock therapy is available and a second audible tone distinguishable from the first audible tone, the second audible tone indicating that an atrial arrhythmia event is in progress but that atrial shock therapy is not available;
• and
• requesting and withholding providing of an atrial shock therapy by the implantable device in response to a duration of detection of the detected patient activation request.

A method for controlling an implantable device, comprising:

• detecting an atrial arrhythmia event episode and automatically updating an atrial arrhythmia event status periodically throughout the duration of a detected atrial arrhythmia event episode with the implantable device;
• providing a patient activation request to the implantable device from external to the implantable device;
• and
• generating messages from the implantable device indicating the periodically updated arrhythmia event status in response to receipt of the patient activation request by the implantable device as long as the patient activation request is received by the implantable device.

A method for controlling an implantable device, comprising:

• detecting an atrial arrhythmia event episode and automatically updating an atrial arrhythmia event status periodically throughout the duration of a detected atrial arrhythmia event episode with the implantable device;
• providing a patient activation request to the implantable device from external to the implantable device;
• and
• generating a message from the implantable device indicating the periodically updated arrhythmia event status in response to receipt of the patient activation request by the implantable device,
• wherein providing the patient activation request to the implantable device from external to the implantable device includes positioning a magnet near the implantable device, and generating the message from the implantable device indicating the periodically updated arrhythmia event status is repeated periodically as long as the magnet is positioned near the implantable device.