Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulator, such as a cardioverter defibrillator, is operable in an autocapture mode. Following the delivery of a defibrillation or cardioversion shock, the stimulator switches from the autocapture mode to a post-shock mode, in which predetermined pacing pulse parameter settings are used for the delivery of pacing pulses. Following the expiration of a predetermined time interval, which may be extendable, the stimulator switches back to the autocapture mode.

Abstract: In a method and a system for organizing not yet implanted implantable medical devices, each having a telemetry unit associated therewith, a local administration unit transmits an inquiry signal to at least one of the telemetry units and receives a return signal therefrom in response to the inquiry signal. The return signal establishes the existence of the medical device, and the local administration unit, or a remote external unit in communication with the local administration unit, can then determine a course of action to be taken, such as a recall procedure, invoicing or taking inventory, based on the return signal from the medical device.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulator, such as a cardioverter defibrillator, is operable in an autocapture mode. Following the delivery of a defibrillation or cardioversion shock, the stimulator switches from the autocapture mode to a post-shock mode, in which predetermined pacing pulse parameter settings are used for the delivery of pacing pulses. Following the expiration of a predetermined time interval, which may be extendable, the stimulator switches back to the autocapture mode.

Abstract: In a method and a system for organizing not yet implanted implantable medical devices, each having a telemetry unit associated therewith, a local administration unit transmits an inquiry signal to at least one of the telemetry units and receives a return signal therefrom in response to the inquiry signal. The return signal establishes the existence of the medical device, and the local administration unit, or a remote external unit in communication with the local administration unit, can then determine a course of action to be taken, such as a recall procedure, invoicing or taking inventory, based on the return signal from the medical device.

Abstract: A heart stimulating device has a stimulation threshold measuring circuit for performing threshold searches by measuring a stimulation threshold value, a pulse generator for delivering stimulation pulses of variable amplitudes and duration, a control unit for controlling the pulse generator to deliver stimulation pulses of amplitudes related to the measured threshold value, an interval timer for initiating time-initiated threshold searches, wherein the time between consecutive time-initiated threshold searches is defined as a threshold search interval. The interval timer varies the threshold search interval, dependent on the result of at least the last performed threshold search.

Abstract: In an implantable cardioverter defibrillator capable of reducing the required energy content of defibrillation and/or cardioversion pulses, the ventricular and/or atrial capture threshold is measured, based on the measured threshold values, the value settings for the energy contents of the defibrillation and/or cardioversion pulses is increased or reduced in correspondence with variations in the measured capture thresholds.

Abstract: A method for predicting the clinical outcome for a patient after the patient has received therapy for an acute coronary syndrome such as myocardial infarction comprises: (a) optionally, but preferably, detecting a first variable comprising a serum creatine kinase-MB release curve area in the patient after initiation of said therapy; (b) detecting a second variable comprising a serum creatine kinase-MB release curve maxima in the patient after initiation of said therapy; then (c) optionally, but preferably, detecting a third variable comprising the slope of the descending portion of the serum creatine kinase-MB release curve after initiation of said therapy (wherein a steep slope for said descending portion is a more favorable indicator of clinical outcome than a shallow slope); and (d) generating a prediction of clinical outcome for said patient from the variables collected above.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of diagnosing the presence of a persistent occlusion in a myocardial infarct patient undergoing thrombolytic therapy. The method comprises detecting a series of five variables from the patient and then generating the probability of the presence of a persistent occlusion from those variables. The first variable comprises a serum creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) level from a patient at the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The second variable comprises a second CK-MB level in the patient at a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The third variable comprises the presence or absence of chest pain a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The fourth variable comprises the serum myoglobin level in the patient at a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy.