Abstract: In an implantable biventricular heart stimulating device, and a biventricular heart stimulating method, wherein operation takes place normally with a time VV between a pacing pulse delivered, or inhibited, by a first ventricular pacing circuit and a pacing pulse delivered, or inhibited, by a second ventricular pacing circuit, and wherein a time VVcts is determined that is to be used instead of VV during a capture threshold search.

Abstract: In an implantable medical device such as an implantable cardiac defibrillator, and a method for classifying arrhythmia events, IEGM signals are analyzed to detect an arrhythmia event and a respiratory pattern of the patient is sensed. At least one respiratory parameter reflecting characteristics of the respiratory pattern of the patient is determined based on the sensed respiratory pattern and a respiratory measure corresponding to a change of a rate of change of the at least one respiratory parameter is calculated. The detected arrhythmia event is classified based on the respiratory measure and the IEGM signals, wherein arrhythmia events that satisfy at least a first criterion is classified as an arrhythmia event requiring therapy.

Abstract: An implantable heart stimulator has an impedance measurement a cardiogenic impedance waveform using an impedance configuration arranged to measure myocardial contractility of the heart. The heart stimulator further has a calculating unit that calculates an estimate value being related to at least two impedance values of the waveform, or of an average waveform of several consecutive waveforms, during a predetermined time period of the waveform, or average waveform, the calculated estimate value being an estimate of the left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining variation over time of a medical parameter of a human being obtained from a sensed signal has a sensor implantable in the human being for sensing the signal. A comparator compares at least one characteristic property, derived from the sensed signal obtained for at least one predetermined first level of activity of the human being, with corresponding reference property of a sensed reference signal, obtained for a predetermined reference level of activity of the human being, for determining a relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal and the reference property. A trend determining unit determines trends in the medical parameter by analyzing the relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal obtained at different times and the reference property. A corresponding method also function an implant for heart failure diagnostics also function as described.

Abstract: Implantable heart stimulating device has at least one electrode lead provided with at least two electrodes adapted to be arranged for electrical stimulation of a heart, a pulse generating that applies stimulation pulses between the electrodes, wherein one of the electrodes is the cathode and the other is the anode, to achieve cathodal capture of heart tissue by the cathode electrode. An anodal capture detector detects anodal capture at the anode electrode. The device further has a control unit and if anodal capture is detected by the detection means, the control unit changes the pacing regimen in order to optimize the hemodynamics of the heart.

Abstract: An implantable medical system for detecting incipient edema has an implantable medical lead including an optical sensor having a light source and a light detector. The medical system further has an edema detection circuit that activates the light source to emit light, the light being directed into lung tissue of a patient and that obtains a light intensity value corresponding to an intensity of light received by the light detector, and that evaluates the light intensity value to detect a consistency with incipient edema.

Abstract: An implantable heart analyzing device has a housing and a control circuit located within said housing. The control circuit generates an output signal adapted to actuate an activator, which is able to make a wall of the heart deflect or vibrate. The control circuit also communicates with a sensor, which can be identical with the activator, with which the movement of the heart wall can be sensed. The control circuit executes a procedure that involves the generation of an output signal and sensing a corresponding sensor signal, and to be able to derive information concerning the tension of the heart wall. An implantable heart analyzing includes the aforementioned heart analyzing device, as well as the activator and the sensor. The heart analyzing device and the system implement a method that results in generation of the aforementioned information concerning the tension of the heart wall.

Abstract: An implantable medical device has an oxygen sensor adapted to measure the level of oxygen in oxygenized blood, and to generate an oxygen measurement signal in dependence of the level of oxygen. The oxygen sensor is adapted to perform measurements inside the heart, of blood entering the left atrium of a patient's heart. The obtained oxygen measurement signal is compared to a predetermined threshold level and an indication signal is generated in dependence of the comparison. The, indication signal is indicative of the lung functionality of the patient.

Abstract: An implantable bi-ventricular heart stimulating device and system, suitable for treating congestive heart failure, have a control circuit with first and second pacing circuits and first and second sensing circuits. The device operates with time cycles corresponding to normal heart cycles. The control circuit determines: (a) whether a signal typical of an evoked response to a pacing pulse delivered by the first pacing circuit is sensed within a first time interval and (b) whether a signal typical for an R-wave transferred from the second ventricle, or from some other part of the heart, to the first ventricle is detected within a first time window. The operation of the device depends on whether the conditions (a) and (b) are fulfilled.

Abstract: A monitor for early detection of an ischemic heart disease of a patient has an impedance measurement unit including an electrode arrangement for measuring an intracardiac impedance and generating a corresponding impedance signal, a notch detector connected to the impedance measurement unit for detecting the occurrence of a notch in the impedance signal coincident with the entry of blood into the ventricle, and a pattern recognition unit which compares the measured post-notch impedance curve with a stored predetermined reference impedance curve template to detect an ischemic heart disease from the result of the comparison.

Abstract: An implantable bi-ventricular heart stimulating device and system operate, within a time cycle, to deliver pacing pulses with both a first and a second pacing circuit with a first time delay between these pacing pulses. The device employs a criterion with which a signal typical for a premature ventricular contraction is detected. The device also operates with a second time delay and/or with a third time delay, and, if a predefined pacing rule is fulfilled, to deliver a pacing pulse with the second time delay or said third time delay. The risk for arrhythmia in connection with a PVC is reduced.

Abstract: A multi-chamber pacing system has a pulse generator for successively delivering pacing pulses to chambers of a patient's heart. Evoked response detectors having blanking intervals following the delivery of pacing pulses include sensing elements for sensing IEGM-signals from each of the heart chambers and an integrating unit that integrates the IEGM-signal within evoked response detection time windows after delivery of pacing pulses for detecting evoked response. The evoked response detection time window for a heart chamber contain at least one blanking interval resulting from delivery of a pacing pulse to another chamber and each of the sensed IEGM signals having a generally known morphology. An integral reconstructing unit reconstructs the time integral of the IEGM signal from one of the heart chambers in the blanking interval following delivery of a pacing pulse to another heart chamber.

Abstract: In a monitor for monitoring diastolic relaxation of a ventricle of a heart, an impedance signal is measured in a ventricle of the heart and the occurrence of a notch in the impedance signal coincident with the entry of blood into the monitored ventricle is detected by forming a time derivative of the impedance signal and generating a loop by plotting impedance values of the impedance signals with respect to related time derivative values to form a loop for each cardiac cycle of the heart, and comparing the generated loop to a loop template representing a normal loop for the subject, to identify deviations in the loop from normal deviations in timing and shape of the notch.

Abstract: A multi-chamber pacing system has a pulse generator for successively delivering pacing pulses to chambers of a patient's heart, and IEGM signal detectors, having blanking intervals following the delivery of pacing pulses, including sensing circuits for sensing IEGM-signals from each of the heart chambers. Each of said sensed IEGM signals has a generally known morphology. A signal-reconstructing unit reconstructs the IEGM signal from one of the heart chambers in the blanking interval following delivery of a pacing pulse to another heart chamber.