Atrial Pressure Control via Electrical Stimulation for Hypertension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for hypertension, including medication and lifestyle changes, are not effective for all patients and often come with side effects, necessitating alternative methods to lower blood pressure effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of electrical stimulation devices, such as pacemakers, to control cardiac functions by modulating the baroreflex mechanism and altering atrial contraction patterns to reduce blood pressure, including stimulating the heart to cause atrial contraction while the atrioventricular valve is closed or overlapping atrial contraction pressure with passive pressure build-up to increase atrial stretch and reduce blood pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional medication and lifestyle changes are used to treat hypertension, then blood pressure control is achieved in some patients, but treatment effectiveness is insufficient for many patients and side effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical/pharmaceutical treatment system with an electrical stimulation system. An implantable device delivers electrical stimuli to the left ventricle to modulate baroreflex activity, substituting mechanical/electrical intervention for chemical medication to achieve blood pressure control without pharmacological side effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an implantable electrical stimulation device as an intermediary between the nervous system and blood pressure regulation. The device acts as a mediator that directly stimulates baroreceptors or afferent nerves to enhance baroreflex function, providing a controlled intermediate step to achieve blood pressure control
2Duration of action of stationary object
If continuous electrical stimulation is applied to maintain blood pressure reduction, then blood pressure control is sustained, but the cardiovascular system adapts and reverts to higher blood pressure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic or intermittent electrical stimulation rather than continuous stimulation. The device delivers stimulation pulses at specific intervals or in response to detected blood pressure levels, preventing cardiovascular adaptation while maintaining sustained blood pressure control through rhythmic baroreflex modulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where the implantable device continuously monitors blood pressure or baroreflex activity and adjusts stimulation parameters accordingly. This feedback mechanism prevents adaptation by dynamically adapting the stimulation pattern to maintain effective baroreflex modulation over time
3Reliability
If atrial contraction is timed to occur during AV valve closure to increase atrial pressure, then blood pressure reduction is achieved through hormonal and neuronal pathways, but the timing precision required is complex to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the heart's own electrical conduction system and natural cardiac cycle timing to achieve precise atrial contraction timing. By stimulating the atrium through the existing sinoatrial node and conduction pathways, the system leverages the heart's self-regulating timing mechanisms to coordinate atrial contraction with AV valve closure without requiring complex external timing control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for a mechanically induced reduction in blood pressure, potentially offering an alternative to pharmaceutical treatments with fewer side effects and improving blood pressure control in hypertensive individuals.
Implementation Method 1
stimulating the heart to provide an atrial pressure resulting from atrial contraction that overlaps in time a passive pressure build-up of the atrium
Implementation Method 2
an atrial pressure resulting from atrial contraction of an atrium overlaps in time a passive pressure build-up of the atrium, such that an atrial pressure of the atrium resulting from the stimulation is a combination of the atrial pressure resulting from atrial contraction and the passive pressure build-up
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4~5A
AI summary
A system for reducing blood pressure comprises: means for providing information about timing of one or more heart activity events, said information comprising information about at least one of: contraction of an atrium, contraction of a ventricle, opening of an atrioventricular valve, closure of an atrioventricular valve, electrical activity of the atrium, electrical activity of the ventricle, blood flow, atrial pressure of the atrium, changes in atrial pressure of the atrium, a refractory period of an atrium, and heart rate; means for generating stimulation pulses; and means for applying the stimulation pulses to at least one cardiac chamber, wherein said means for generating stimulation pulses are arranged to generate the stimulation pulses so as to set a timing of atrial contraction relative to ventricular contraction based on said information.