Abstract: An implantable medical device system and associated method receive a signal from an implantable sensor operatively positioned relative to a vein, the signal being responsive to changes in a diameter of the vein. A diameter of the vein is determined in response to the sensor signal and used in estimating central venous pressure (CVP).

Abstract: An implantable medical device system and associated method receive a signal from an implantable sensor operatively positioned relative to a vein, the signal being responsive to changes in a diameter of the vein. A diameter of the vein is determined in response to the sensor signal and used in estimating central venous pressure (CVP).

Abstract: An implantable medical device system and associated method receive a signal from an implantable sensor operatively positioned relative to a vein, the signal being responsive to changes in a diameter of the vein. A diameter of the vein is determined in response to the sensor signal and used in estimating central venous pressure (CVP).

Abstract: A soothing program for anti-atrial tachyarrhymia therapy operates within a natural intrinsic atrial rate band for increased patient comport and improved therapy. The implantable pacemakers is configured with an atrial event detector, an anti-atrial tachyarrhymia progam that produces an anti-tachyarrhymia therapy, and a soothing program. The soothing program resides in memory and adjusts the anti-atrial tachyarrhymia program. The soothing program has an acceleration rate within a natural intrinsic atrial rate band upon detection of an atrial tachyarrhymia event and a deceleration rate also within the natural intrinsic atrial rate band to adjust the anti-atrial tachyarrhymia therapy. Some embodiments can adjust the anti-atrial tachyarrhymia therapy to maintain natural atrial activation and reduce patient discomfort such as palpitations.

Abstract: A method for preventing the recurrence of an atrial fibrillation of a heart is provided. An atrial fibrillation is detected. A set of pacing pulses to increase a rate of the heart to an intervention rate is transmitted to the heart upon the completion of the atrial fibrillation. Finally, the intervention rate is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: There is provided a pacing system having special functions for treating the patient's atrium with atrial pacing so as to reduce the probability of occurrence of dangerous atrial arrhythmias. The pacemaker of the system provides for atrial Pace.sub.-- Conditioning, whereby the patient's normal intrinsic atrial rate is overridden by higher rate pacing whenever a predetermined sequence of intrinsic heartbeats is sensed. The pacemaker also provides for special pacing routines following the detection of one or more PACs. The PAC response routines include pacing at an elevated rate for a predetermined time or number of beats, and smoothing out pacing intervals for one or several cycles following the occurrence of a PAC.

Abstract: A pacemaker system is provided which provides for more flexibility in re-programming of the control software, or program which is controlling an implanted pacemaker. The system comprises an external programmer device which is capable both of programming the implanted device in a conventional way, and also downloading new control software to the implanted device, subject to predetermined system conditions. All implanted devices, e.g., pacemakers within the system of the invention, share a hardware platform, and are identified as belonging to a given one of a plurality of groups, each group being characterized as providing therapy aimed at a different condition. Each pacemaker also carries type data, indicating the type of pacemaker within the group, and a set of permissions data representative of different types within the group to which it is permitted to be programmed.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker system and method provide for safe tracking of PACs. The pacemaker obtains an indication of when the T-wave has occurred within the cycle when the PAC occurs, either by measuring the T wave during the cycle, or by getting a QT interval measure from one or more prior cycles. The pacemaker determines a safe V--V interval as the QT interval measure plus a safety factor, the safety factor being selected so as to insure that a pulse that tracks the PAC does not get delivered during the vulnerable period. A PAC is tracked if and only if the VA interval plus the AV delay is as great as the safe V--V interval.

Abstract: An implantable pacemaker system is provided with a conditional hysteresis feature, whereby a hysteresis value is added to the pacing escape interval only when the prior spontaneous rate corresponded to a rate below the top of a predetermined hysteresis band. This feature limits the lengthening of the escape interval when there are sudden drops in the natural rate thereby avoiding excessive changes in rate. In a preferred embodiment, the pacemaker defines a hysteresis band around a given pacing rate, e.g., lower rate limit, the band having an upper hysteresis limit and a lower hysteresis limit. No hysteresis lengthening of the escape interval is utilized for spontaneous heartbeats having rates above the upper hysteresis limit; for spontaneous heartbeats having rates between the lower rate limit and the upper hysteresis limit, an escape interval is set to have a value corresponding to a rate between the pacing limit and the lower rate limit of the hysteresis band which is, e.g.

Abstract: There is provided a pacemaker system with capture verification and threshold testing, in which the pacemaker waits after each change in delivered pace pulses for a stabilization interval, in order to minimize polarization and enhance capture verification. The threshold test utilizes a pace pulse pair, comprising a prior search pulse which is varied during the test, and the regular pacing pulse which is above threshold. When delivery of the pulse pairs is initiated, the search pulse is adjusted to optimize polarization, and the pacemaker waits for predetermined stabilization period of time in order to allow for minimum polarization and to optimize capture detection. The search pulse is increased incrementally in output value toward threshold, and following each such increase the pacemaker waits for a stabilization interval. The pacemaker detects when capture is achieved by the search pulse, thereby providing an indication of threshold.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker system and method is provided for adjusting AV delay to provide for an optimal AV setting for a selected pacing application. In the inventive system and method, the basis for determining the AV delay setting is to perform a ventricular fusion test, wherein variations in QT interval are monitored corresponding to variations in AV interval. Based upon the AV-QT data, the pacemaker can determine the ventricular fusion zone where the pacemaker AV interval is substantially the same as the intrinsic conduction interval, as well as the knee where AV intervals just shorter than the ventricular fusion zone result in full capture. The pacemaker selects a routine for adjusting AV interval depending upon a desired application, including the applications of adjusting AV interval for full capture and for treatment of a HOCM patient.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker system having a dynamic tracking limit, as well as a dynamic pacing limit (flywheel rate), the two dynamic limits being normally coupled to a measure of the sensed atrial rate as long as such rate is physiological. When the atrial signal is lost, i.e., cannot be tracked, the pacemaker responds with asynchronous pacing and normally decrements both dynamic limits, taking the flywheel rate down toward a lower pacing limit. The pacemaker of this invention provides a freeze function whereby the dynamic pacing limit and dynamic tracking limit are maintained constant for a plurality of cycles following asynchronous operation, to improve the possibility of regaining tracking if an underlying physiological atrial signal reappears at about the rate prior to being lost. The freeze function may be timed out for a predetermined number of cycles, e.g., eight, or may have a reduced duration if a series of consecutive synchronous cycles is detected.

Abstract: A dual chamber cardiac pacemaker system has logic for detecting high rate as well as normal atrial spontaneous signals, and for tracking atrial signals within a predetermined tracking rate range by delivering ventricular pace pulses at an AV interval following each atrial sense within said tracking range. The pacemaker also has detection circuitry for detecting a sequence of pacemaker cycles characterized by first degree AV block, wherein atrial sense signals occur too early to permit tracking, and ventricular spontaneous signals occur following an extended AV-delay such as is characterized by first degree block. The pacemaker restores tracking following detection of such a sequence by delivering ventricular pace pulses at an extended AV interval to override the spontaneous ventricle signals and gradually decreasing the AV-delay back to a normal value, thereby restoring tracking without pacing the ventricle at an excessive rate.

Abstract: A VDD-type pacing system which may have a floating atrial electrode analyzes P-wave events and absences of P-waves to determine data indicative of the likelihood of P-wave undersensing. The pacemaker logic chooses a reaction algorithm to respond to atrial events in accordance with whether an absence of a P-wave is more likely to have been an undersense or an incidence of bradycardia. Specific algorithms are presented which illustrate pacemaker reactions to probable undersense and brady occurrences. The pacemaker also incorporates a subsystem for detection of undersense events.

Abstract: There is disclosed a pacemaker, a dual chamber VDD(R) or DDD(R) pacemaker, having improved features for avoiding undesired sensor-sinus competition and providing blended sensor and sinus (atrial) control. The pacemaker employs atrial hysteresis which is used during sensing of natural atrial beats in order to enable tracking the sinus signals that occur at rates below the current pacing limit; and sensor hysteresis which prevents early takeover by sensor control and, in a DDDR pacer, controls when the sensor rate controls over a sensed sinus rate and also enables dropping the pacing rate during sensor control so as to enable finding and tracking of underlying lower rate sinus signals. The sensor hysteresis function is automatically adapted by obtaining and processing scattergram data representative of the sensor rate compared to the average of the natural sinus rate, and adjusting the sensor hysteresis function to optimally match the data.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker system is provided having an improved Wenckebach response for optimizing tracking of atrial signals having rates within a rate range above the normal tracking range, i.e., in a designated Wenckebach range. When an atrial sense occurs in the Wenckebach range, the AV delay is extended up to a predetermined maximum extension to enable delivery of a ventricular pulse at the ventricular upper rate limit (dynamic tracking limit). When the AV delay would have to be extended beyond the maximum extension in order to pace the ventricle at the dynamic tracking limit, the next ventricular stimulus is delivered asynchronously at an escape interval greater than the escape interval corresponding to the dynamic tracking limit, e.g., at a predetermined lower pacing limit.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker system is provided having means for determining when sensed atrial signals have a physiological rate, and tracking only such sensed atrial signals as are found to have physiological rates. The pacemaker provides logic means for continuously determining a physiological rate as a function of sensed atrial rate, whereby physiological rate substantially tracks the rate of sensed physiological atrial signals. The pacemaker also determines dynamic decision rates which are coupled to follow the physiological rate. The decision rates comprise a dynamic pacing limit, which sets the pacing escape interval; a dynamic tracking limit, which sets the upper limit of the physiological range of rates which are tracked; and the dynamic Wenckebach limit, which defines the upper rate for a dynamic Wenckebach range.

Abstract: A dual chamber pacemaker is provided having incorporated therein a VA conduction test for concurrently testing for the conditions of retrograde conduction (RC) and far field R wave sensing (FFRS). The pacemaker changes the AV or VV interval to a predetermined interval over a number of pacemaker cycles, and determines whether the VA interval remains substantially unchanged, i.e., the VA intervals are substantially equal. When VA interval equality is determined, the pacemaker checks the measure of VA interval with stored RC and FFRS criteria to determine whether either can be verified. Respective corrective steps are taken if either RC or FFRS is verified.

Abstract: A pacemaker system is provided for rate responsive pacing, wherein rate is controlled as a function of two or more sensor inputs, each sensor providing a signal representing a respective different control parameter. Preferably a first sensor signal represents a physiologically accurate although slow response signal such as OT interval, and a second sensor represents a relatively fast response such as activity. The two parameter signals are processed so that they are directly comparable and can be compared as indicators of pacing rate throughout the desired pacing range. The algorithm utilizes a parameter control reference curve for each respective parameter, such reference curve representing the desired correlation between pacing rate and the parameter signal.