36 results about "Paced Rhythm" patented technology

A cardiac rhythm management system includes an atrial pacing preference (APP) filter for promoting atrial pacing. The APP filter includes an infinite impulse response (IIR) or other filter that controls the timing of delivery of atrial pacing pulses. The atrial pacing pulses are delivered at an APP-indicated pacing rate that is typically at a small amount above the intrinsic atrial heart rate. For sensed beats, the APP indicated rate is increased until it becomes slightly faster than the intrinsic atrial heart rate. The APP-indicated pacing rate is then gradually decreased to search for the underlying intrinsic atrial heart rate. Then, after a sensed atrial beat, the APP filter again increases the pacing rate until it becomes faster than the intrinsic atrial rate by a small amount. As a result, most atrial heart beats are paced, rather than sensed. This decreases the likelihood of the occurrence of an atrial tachyarrhythima, such as atrial fibrillation. The decreased likelihood of atrial tachyarrhythmia, in turn, decreases the likelihood of inducing a ventricular arrhythmia, either as a result of the atrial tachyarrhythmia, or as the result of delivering a defibrillation shock to treat the atrial tachyarrhythmia.

The present invention is directed toward a sensing architecture for use in cardiac rhythm management devices. The sensing architecture of the present invention provides a method and means for certifying detected events by the cardiac rhythm management device. Moreover, by exploiting the enhanced capability to accurately identifying only those sensed events that are desirable, and preventing the use of events marked as suspect, the sensing architecture of the present invention can better discriminate between rhythms appropriate for device therapy and those that are not.

Systems and methods are described for classifying a cardiac rhythm. A cardiac rhythm is classified using a classification process that includes a plurality of cardiac rhythm discriminators. Each rhythm discriminator provides an independent classification of the cardiac rhythm. The classification process is modified if the modification is likely to produce enhanced classification results. The rhythm is reclassified using the modified classification process.

A device and method for cardiac rhythm management in which a cardiac site is paced in accordance with a pacing mode that employs sense signals from a different cardiac site. A protective period triggered by the sensing of intrinsic activity at the paced site is used to delay pacing by a protective delay interval without otherwise disturbing the pacing algorithm.

Methods and systems are provided for discriminating rhythm patterns in cardiac activity. The method and system obtain cardiac activity data for multiple cardiac beats over a predetermined period of time. Multi-beat segments within the cardiac activity data exhibit different rhythm patterns of interest including fast and slow rhythm patterns. The method and system calculate a cardiac beats timing relation representative of intervals between the cardiac beats within a measurement window, wherein the measurement window is configured to overlap the corresponding multi-beat segment. The method and system designate the cardiac beats timing relation to have one of the rhythm patterns of interest based on a rate threshold, identifies when successive multi-beat segments exhibit rhythm patterns that transition between the fast and slow irregular rhythm patterns and records the irregular rhythm pattern transition in connection with the cardiac activity data.

Method and systems related to monitoring right ventricular function during pacing by a cardiac rhythm management device are described. One or more pacing parameters are selected to provide cardiac resynchronization therapy. For example, the one or more pacing parameters may be selected to provide an optimal or improved therapy. The heart is paced using the selected pacing parameters. While pacing with the selected parameters, pressure is sensed via a pressure sensor disposed the pulmonary artery. The sensed pressure is analyzed to determine right ventricular function achieved during the pacing using the selected pacing parameters. A signal, such as an alert signal or control signal, is generated based on the right ventricular function achieved during the pacing.

A method is provided for analyzing the condition of a patient to determine whether or not a defibrillation shock should be applied, without stopping CPR (primarily chest compressions). While chest compressions continue to be applied to the victim, the system differentiates between (1) a perfusing rhythm that has the capability of leading to a beating heart without a shock and (2) ventricular fibrillation (VF) which sometimes occurs in the presence of ventricular tachycardia (VT), in which there is no capability for leading to a beating heart without a shock. Defibrillation shocks should be applied only when needed and that is in the presence of VF and sometimes in the presence of VT. Electrocardiographic (ECG or EKG) signals obtained from electrodes applied to the patient's chest are analyzed so that the presence of a QRS signal characteristic of a rhythm which has the potential of supporting a beating heart, or the absence of a QRS signal which indicates ventricular fibrillation, may be detected in the presence of artifacts resulting from chest compressions.

A device is connected to electrode leads which performs intracardiac impedance measurements, conducts a transient pacing protocol, analyses the impedance measurements, and generates an LV lead position quality factor. The transient pacing protocol includes a repeated change (“transitions”) between ventricular intrinsic rhythm and biventricular paced rhythm and may also include a variation of the atrioventricular delay (AVD) and/or the interventricular delay (VVD). The quality factor expresses the degree to which hemodynamic properties have improved due to BiV stimulation for the current LV lead position compared to intrinsic ventricular rhythm.

An apparatus and method for generating sleep-inducing stimuli, including a programmable controller operable for generating a sleep-inducing rhythm; and a transducer unit containing at least one transducer connected to the controller for receiving the sleep-inducing rhythm and generating and applying the sleep-inducing stimuli to a user in accordance with the rhythm. The stimuli may be in the form of vibration, warmth, light, sound, and/or electrical current. The stimuli are adapted to induce alpha, theta, and/or delta brain waves to induce sleep.

An implantable medical device (IMD) identifies suspected non-lethal ventricular arrhythmia, and takes one or more actions in response to the identification to avoid or delay delivery of a defibrillation or cardioversion shock. The IMD employs number of intervals to detect (NID) thresholds for detection of ventricular arrhythmias. When a NID threshold is met, the IMD determines whether the ventricular rhythm is a suspected non-lethal rhythm despite satisfying a NID threshold. In some embodiments, the IMD increases the NID threshold, i.e., extends the time for detection, in response to identifying a rhythm as a suspected non-lethal rhythm, and monitors subsequent ventricular beats to determine if the increased NID threshold is met before detecting a ventricular arrhythmia and delivering therapy. The IMD can determine whether a rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia by, for example, comparing the median ventricular cycle length (VCL) to the median atrial cycle length (ACL).

Miniature heart-monitoring devices, such as defibrillators and cardioverters, are implanted in humans to detect and correct abnormal heart rhythms Microprocessors and stored instructions, or algorithms within these devices govern how they interpret and react to abnormal heart rhythms. Algorithms that are too simple lead to unnecessary shocking of the heart, while those that are too complex consume considerable battery power. Accordingly, the inventor devised a relatively simple yet accurate algorithm for determining appropriate therapy options. One version of the algorithm computes three statistics—a range statistic, a minimum interval statistic, and a dispersion index—from a set of depolarization intervals. A scalar interval dispersion assessment, based on the three statistics, is then compared to a threshold to identify a rhythm as a flutter or fibrillation.

An implantable medical device is provided for detecting transportless ventricular rhythm of a heart lacking atrial transport and comprises a housing, sensors configured to be located proximate to a heart, a sensing module to sense cardiac signals representative of a rhythm originating from the heart and a rhythm detection module. The rhythm detection module determines a change in AV association and identifies a potential ventricular complex with loss of atrial transport (VCLAT) based on the change in AV association.