Abstract: Gastric apparatus (18) is provided, including one or more sensors (70, 72, 74), adapted to generate respective sensor signals responsively to a gastrointestinal (GI) tract physiological parameter of a GI tract of a subject, and an implantable control unit (90), comprising a rechargeable battery and a first set of one or more transducers. The implantable control unit (90) is adapted to receive the sensor signals, using one or more of the transducers of the first set, and transmit data responsively to the sensor signals, using one or more of the transducers of the first set. An external control unit (200), including a power source and a second set of one or more transducers, is adapted to drive the power source to inductively transfer energy via one or more transducers of the second set, so as to recharge the battery, and receive the transmitted data, using one or more transducers of the second set.

Abstract: The invention provides personal emergency response systems (PERS) with expanded life-saving capabilities. One embodiment of the invention provides a wearable PERS pendant that incorporates a cell phone transmitter or transceiver, a GPS location system, an accelerometer-based fall detector that automatically triggers an alert, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorder permitting a remote service center or medical personnel to receive and respond to transmitted alerts and electrocardiographic data.

Abstract: The invention provides personal emergency response systems (PERS) with expanded life-saving capabilities. One embodiment of the invention provides a wearable PERS pendant that incorporates a cell phone transmitter or transceiver, a GPS location system, an accelerometer-based fall detector that automatically triggers an alert, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorder permitting a remote service center or medical personnel to receive and respond to transmitted alerts and electrocardiographic data.

Abstract: The invention provides personal emergency response systems (PERS) with expanded life-saving capabilities. One embodiment of the invention provides a wearable PERS pendant that incorporates a cell phone transmitter or transceiver, a GPS location system, an accelerometer-based fall detector that automatically triggers an alert, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorder permitting a remote service center or medical personnel to receive and respond to transmitted alerts and electrocardiographic data.

Abstract: The invention provides personal emergency response systems (PERS) with expanded life-saving capabilities. One embodiment of the invention provides a wearable PERS pendant that incorporates a cell phone transmitter or transceiver, a GPS location system, an accelerometer-based fall detector that automatically triggers an alert, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorder permitting a remote service center or medical personnel to receive and respond to transmitted alerts and electrocardiographic data.

Abstract: A system and method determining physiological status of a patient. A determination is made whether the patient is sleeping. The amplitude and change in voltage over time of any intramyocardial electrogram is measured for a right ventricle and a left ventricle of a heart of the patient for a predefined number of heartbeats at a specified time interval in response to determining the patient is asleep. The measurements are averaged for the right ventricle and left ventricle. The averaged measurements are transmitted to a receiver for communication to an intended recipient.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a heart failure or transplant rejection status of a patient including use of a device or system to collect intramyocardial electrogram (IMEG) signals from the patient at different times automatically when a detected activity level of the patient is below a preset threshold level for a predetermined amount of time, and use of a device or system to generate a status indicator value proportional to a combination of parameters extracted from at least a portion of the collected IMEG signals. Methods and systems can also include measuring time delay values between IMEG signals collected from different locations in the patient. The IMEG signals can be collected from the right ventricular septum and the right ventricular apex of the patient or from the right and left ventricular myocardium of the patient.

Abstract: Gastric apparatus (18) is provided, including one or more sensors (70, 72, 74), adapted to generate respective sensor signals responsively to a gastrointestinal (GI) tract physiological parameter of a GI tract of a subject, and an implantable control unit (90), comprising a rechargeable battery and a first set of one or more transducers. The implantable control unit (90) is adapted to receive the sensor signals, using one or more of the transducers of the first set, and transmit data responsively to the sensor signals, using one or more of the transducers of the first set. An external control unit (200), including a power source and a second set of one or more transducers, is adapted to drive the power source to inductively transfer energy via one or more transducers of the second set, so as to recharge the battery, and receive the transmitted data, using one or more transducers of the second set.

Abstract: A system and method determining physiological status of a patient. A determination is made whether the patient is sleeping. The amplitude and change in voltage over time of any intramyocardial electrogram is measured for a right ventricle and a left ventricle of a heart of the patient for a predefined number of heartbeats at a specified time interval in response to determining the patient is asleep. The measurements are averaged for the right ventricle and left ventricle. The averaged measurements are transmitted to a receiver for communication to an intended recipient.

Abstract: A system and method determining physiological status of a patient. A determination is made whether the patient is sleeping. The amplitude and change in voltage over time of any intramyocardial electrogram is measured for a right ventricle and a left ventricle of a heart of the patient for a predefined number of heartbeats at a specified time interval in response to determining the patient is asleep. The measurements are averaged for the right ventricle and left ventricle. The averaged measurements are transmitted to a receiver for communication to an intended recipient.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device applies pacing stimulation pulses to a heart and senses evoked responses to the pacing stimulation pulses. A pulse generator applies the stimulation pacing pulses to the heart in accordance with a pacing configuration. A sensor control selects an evoked response sensing electrode configuration from among a plurality of evoked response sensing electrode configurations in response to the pacing configuration. A sensor is then programmed to sense the evoked responses with the selected evoked response sensing electrode configuration. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, signal-to-noise ratios obtained with the various electrode configurations are used to select a best electrode configuration for sensing evoked responses.

Abstract: An implantable dual chamber stimulation device provides a novel detection scheme for automatically detecting atrial capture and performing an atrial pacing threshold assessment. The stimulation device preferably waits until the patient is at or near rest and monitors the patient's P-wave activity to determine a detection window where a next P-wave is expected to occur. The stimulation device then delivers an atrial pulse prior to the next detection window, and monitors the window to determine whether a P-wave occurs therein. If a P-wave does not occur, then atrial capture is present, while occurrence of a P-wave indicates absence of atrial capture. If atrial capture is absent, the stimulation device automatically determines an appropriate atrial pacing threshold by monitoring the detection window while adjusting the stimulation pulse energy level.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device applies pacing stimulation pulses to a heart and senses evoked responses to the pacing stimulation pulses. A pulse generator applies the stimulation pacing pulses to the heart in accordance with a pacing configuration. A sensor control selects an evoked response sensing electrode configuration from among a plurality of evoked response sensing electrode configurations in response to the pacing configuration. A sensor is then programmed to sense the evoked responses with the selected evoked response sensing electrode configuration. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, signal-to-noise ratios obtained with the various electrode configurations are used to select a best electrode configuration for sensing evoked responses.

Abstract: An implantable dual chamber stimulation device provides a novel detection scheme that automatically detecting atrial capture and performing an atrial pacing threshold assessment. The stimulation device preferably waits until the patient is at or near rest and monitors the patient's P-wave activity to determine a detection window where a next P-wave is expected to occur. The stimulation device then delivers an atrial pulse prior to the next detection window, and monitors the window to determine whether a P-wave occurs therein. If a P-wave does not occur, then atrial capture is present, while occurrence of a P-wave indicates absence of atrial capture. If atrial capture is absent, the stimulation device automatically determines an appropriate atrial pacing threshold by monitoring the detection window while adjusting the stimulation pulse energy level.

Abstract: To permit remote programming of implantable cardiac stimulation devices such as pacemakers, a central device programmer is provided in conjunction with a network of remote telemetry units for use in patient homes or in remote clinics. To reprogram a device implanted within a patient, a physician enters programming commands within the central programmer which relays the programming commands to a remote telemetry unit in proximity to the patient. The remote telemetry unit, in turn, forwards the programming commands to the implanted device. In this manner, the patient need not return to the physician for reprogramming of the device. Remote telemetry units may be provided within patient homes, clinics, hospital emergency rooms, hospital patient rooms, and the like. Depending upon the implementation, different levels of programmability may be permitted depending upon the degree of supervision of the patient. For an unsupervised patient, limited programmability is permitted.

Abstract: To permit remote programming of implantable cardiac stimulation devices such as pacemakers, a central device programmer is provided in conjunction with a network of remote telemetry units for use in patient homes or in remote clinics. To reprogram a device implanted within a patient, a physician enters programming commands within the central programmer which relays the programming commands to a remote telemetry unit in proximity to the patient. The remote telemetry unit, in turn, forwards the programming commands to the implanted device. In this manner, the patient need not return to the physician for reprogramming of the device. Remote telemetry units may be provided within patient homes, clinics, hospital emergency rooms, hospital patient rooms, and the like. Depending upon the implementation, different levels of programmability may be permitted depending upon the degree of supervision of the patient. For an unsupervised patient, limited programmability is permitted.

Abstract: An implantable dual chamber stimulation device provides a novel detection scheme for automatically detecting atrial capture and performing an atrial pacing threshold assessment. The stimulation device preferably waits until the patient is at or near rest and monitors the patient's P-wave activity to determine an detection window where a next P-wave is expected to occur. The stimulation device then delivers an atrial pulse prior to the next detection window, and monitors the window to determine whether a P-wave occurs therein. If a P-wave does not occur, then atrial capture is present, while occurrence of a P-wave indicates absence of atrial capture. If atrial capture is absent, the stimulation device automatically determines an appropriate atrial pacing threshold by monitoring the detection window while adjusting the stimulation pulse energy level.

Abstract: An implantable dual chamber stimulation device provides a novel detection scheme for automatically detecting atrial capture and performing an atrial pacing threshold assessment. The stimulation device preferably waits until the patient is at or near rest and monitors the patient's P-wave activity to determine an detection window where a next P-wave is expected to occur. The stimulation device then delivers an atrial pulse prior to the next detection window, and monitors the window to determine whether a P-wave occurs therein. If a P-wave does not occur, then atrial capture is present, while occurrence of a P-wave indicates absence of atrial capture. If atrial capture is absent, the stimulation device automatically determines an appropriate atrial pacing threshold by monitoring the detection window while adjusting the stimulation pulse energy level.

Abstract: An implantable dual chamber stimulation device provides a novel detection scheme for automatically detecting atrial capture and performing an atrial pacing threshold assessment. The stimulation device preferably waits until the patient is at or near rest and monitors the patient's P-wave activity to determine an detection window where a next P-wave is expected to occur. The stimulation device then delivers an atrial pulse prior to the next detection window, and monitors the window to determine whether a P-wave occurs therein. If a P-wave does not occur, then atrial capture is present, while occurrence of a P-wave indicates absence of atrial capture. If atrial capture is absent, the stimulation device automatically determines an appropriate atrial pacing threshold by monitoring the detection window while adjusting the stimulation pulse energy level.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring the impedance of a patient's body. Pulse generating circuitry within a rate-responsive pacemaker is used to generate an impedance measurement signal that is applied to the body of the patient with conventional pacemaker leads. The impedance measurement signal contains a series of multiphasic impedance measurement waveforms, which have no net DC value and zero value after second integration. The impedance measurement signal allows the impedance of the body to be measured without interfering with external cardiac monitoring equipment such as electrocardiogram machines.