Implanted Device Atrial Arrhythmia Termination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for terminating atrial fibrillation often cause patient discomfort and may lead to ventricular proarrhythmia, as they rely on electrical shocks that are not easily verified for effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An implanted medical device monitors cardiac signals to detect conditions predictive of atrial arrhythmia, initiating drug therapy and pacing to terminate arrhythmia while preventing ventricular proarrhythmia by measuring Q-T intervals, variability, and ventricular ectopy, and adjusting therapy accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical shocks are used to terminate atrial fibrillation, then the arrhythmia is effectively arrested, but patient discomfort increases and ventricular proarrhythmia risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the therapeutic parameter from high-energy electrical shocks to pharmacological agents (antiarrhythmic drugs). This parameter change allows termination of atrial fibrillation through chemical means rather than electrical means, thereby reducing patient discomfort and minimizing the risk of ventricular proarrhythmia while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical system (defibrillator shocks) with a chemical/pharmacological system (drug delivery). This substitution eliminates the harmful mechanical impact on cardiac tissue while achieving the same therapeutic goal of arrhythmia termination through pharmacological intervention
2Reliability
If high energy electrical shocks are administered, then atrial or ventricular fibrillation is arrested, but the method is not easily verified for effectiveness and causes considerable patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates continuous monitoring of cardiac signals to detect arrhythmia conditions and verify therapeutic effectiveness. The system provides feedback by comparing pre- and post-treatment cardiac signals, allowing easy verification that the arrhythmia has been terminated while the patient remains comfortable throughout the process
Solution Approach 2:
The implanted device automatically monitors cardiac conditions, determines when arrhythmia is present, administers appropriate pharmacological therapy, and verifies effectiveness without requiring external intervention. This self-service capability eliminates the need for painful external shocks while providing easy verification through continuous internal monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is provided for responding, from internally within a patient, to an atrial arrhythmia in a heart including measuring from within the patient at least one electrocardiogram characteristic indicative of the atrial arrhythmia, and controlling from within the patient drug therapy delivery to the patient responsive to measuring the at least one electrocardiogram characteristic. Drug therapy is initiated to the patient responsive to measuring the at least one electrocardiogram characteristic. According to one aspect of the present invention, the drug therapy is staged within the patient prior to measuring the at least one electrocardiogram characteristic. According to another example embodiment, the heart is paced from within the patient at a predefined rate responsive to measuring the at least one electrocardiogram characteristic, pacing occurring alone, or in combination with drug therapy.