Abstract: An implantable medical device comprises a connector connectable to an implantable oxygen sensor configured to generate a sensor signal representative of oxygen concentration in coronary sinus blood in a subject's heart. An ischemia detector is connected to the connector and configured to detect an ischemic event in the heart if the sensor signal indicates a temporary decrease in oxygen concentration in the coronary sinus blood below a normal level followed by a temporary increase in oxygen concentration in the coronary sinus blood above the normal level.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is connectable to an epicardial left ventricular lead having at least one epicardial electrode and a myocardium penetrating catheter with at least one endocardial electrode and present in a lumen of the lead. The device comprises a pulse generator controller that controls a ventricular pulse generator to generate pulses to be applied to the epicardial and endocardial electrodes. The controller uses an endocardial-to-epicardial time interval or epicardial-to-endocardial time interval to coordinate endocardial and epicardial activation of the left ventricle to thereby achieve cardiac pacing that closely mimics the natural electrical activation pattern of a healthy heart.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, IMD, (100) is connectable to at least one ventricular lead (210) having a ventricular basal electrode (214) and a ventricular apical electrode (212). The IMD (100) comprises a pulse generator (120) for generating pacing pulses applied to a heart (10) through the ventricular lead (210). The operation of this pulse generator (120) is controlled by a controller (130) that is configured to control the pulse generator to first deliver a pacing pulse to the ventricular basal electrode (214) to stimulate the basal portion of the ventricle (12, 14) before a pacing pulse is delivered to the apical portion of the ventricle (12, 14) by the ventricular apical electrode (212). This pulse sequence achieves a biologically more correct cardiac stimulation and a contraction pattern that reduces the risk for valvular regurgitation.

Abstract: An implantable coronary perfusion monitoring device for in-vivo determination of a coronary perfusion index (CPI) indicative of the coronary perfusion of a heart has a time measurement unit to determine a blood pressure reflection wave measure t indicating the timely position in the heart cycle of the maximum of a reflected blood pressure wave and in a time period starting at a preset point of time in systole and ending at a local maximum of blood pressure following aortic valve closure and, a diastolic peak pressure measurement unit adapted to determine a diastolic peak blood pressure measure DPP related to diastolic aortic peak pressure and a systolic arterial pressure measurement unit adapted to determine a systolic arterial blood pressure measure SAP related to systolic arterial pressure, and a coronary perfusion index calculating unit adapted to determine said coronary perfusion index CPI as (t·DPP)/SAP.

Abstract: An ischemia monitoring system has detectors for detecting the onset of an ischemic event of a tissue in subject, the end of the ischemic event and the end of a following recovery from the ischemic event, respectively. A time processor determines the duration of the ischemic event and the recovery period based on the detected onset and end times. A status processor co-processes the two determined time durations for the purpose of monitoring the ischemic status of the subject and detecting any deterioration in ischemic status for the latest ischemic event as compared to previous ischemic events that have occurred in the subject's tissue.

Abstract: In an implantable medical device and a method for monitoring ventricular synchronicity of a heart, impedance signals are measured that reflect septal wall movements and impedance amplitude peaks in the impedance signal are detected. A synchronicity index indicating a degree of synchronicity is determined based on detected impedance peaks, with at least two impedance peaks detected within a predetermined time window including a cardiac cycle or a part of a cardiac cycle indicating an increased dyssynchronicity in the ventricular contractions.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for detecting incipient heart failure of a patient. Impedance signals reflecting volume changes of the right ventricle and/or the right atrium of a heart of the patient are obtained. The impedance signals are processed to determine a first impedance parameter substantially reflecting a volume of the right ventricle, and a heart failure status is determined based on the first impedance parameter, wherein a decreasing first impedance parameter is determined to be an indication of a deterioration of the heart failure status.

Abstract: In an implantable heart monitoring device and method, particularly for monitoring diastolic dysfunction, a control circuit (a) detects the heart rate, (b) derives information correlated to the stroke volume of the heart at the detected heart rate, and (c) stores the detected heart rate and the derived information correlated to the stroke volume in a memory. The control circuit automatically implements (a), (b) and (c) at a number of different occasions for a number of different, naturally varying heart rates, so that the memory contains information indicating the stroke volume as a function of the heart rate.

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 medical device applies an electric signal to at least a portion of a heart in a subject. A resulting electric signal is collected from the heart and is used together with the applied signal for determining a cardiogenic impedance signal. The impedance signal is processed in order to estimate an isovolumetric contraction time, an isovolumetric relaxation time and an ejection time for a heart cycle. These three time parameters are employed for calculating a Tei-index of the heart. The Tei-index can be used as myocardial performance parameter in heart diagnosis and/or cardiac therapy adjustment.

Abstract: In a device and method for a medical implant for monitoring progression of heart failure in a human heart, an activity sensor provides information related to the activity level of a patient and an oxygen sensor provides information related to the level of oxygen content in venous blood. A determined level of venous oxygen content at a determined activity level is obtained, and that level of venous oxygen content is compared to stored values at a corresponding activity level. The result of the comparison is used as a basis for determining a degree of heart failure.

Abstract: In a method and a device for trending and prediction of monitored conditions or diseases, an REM sleep detector is provided to allow data collected during REM sleep to be separated from other data so stable and uniform conditions for data collection are achieved. The REM sleep detector can advantageously be provided inside an implantable medical device.