Abstract: A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.

Abstract: A particular implantable device may include an antenna configured to receive a far field radiative signal. The implantable device may also include a voltage rectifier configured to rectify the far field radiative signal received by the antenna to provide a rectified voltage signal. The implantable device may further include a charge storage element operative to receive the rectified voltage signal and to store charge responsive to the rectified voltage signal. The implantable device may also include a stimulation module powered by the charge storage element. The stimulation module may be operative to generate an electrical stimulation signal to stimulate a target nerve of a patient. The implantable medical device may further include a nerve wrap configured to house the voltage rectifier, the charge storage element, and the stimulation module. The nerve wrap may include one or more electrodes operative to deliver the electrical stimulation signal to the target nerve.

Abstract: A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.

Abstract: A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.

Abstract: An implantable heart-monitoring device comprising one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient's heart a therapy circuit for delivering pharmaceuticals to the patient; and a monitoring circuit coupled to the one or more leads and to the therapy circuit, the monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads, the monitoring circuit operable to: determine a minimum interval from a set of two or more intervals based on sensed heart activity, determine a range parameter based on a difference between a first subset and second subset of the intervals, determine a dispersion parameter quantifying dispersion of a subset of the intervals, and to determine an assessment value for the set of intervals, based on the minimum interval, the range parameter, the dispersion index.

Abstract: A system and method for providing pacing pulses after a cardioversion/defibrillation shock, where the pacing pulses have a pacing rate at an initial value. The pacing rate is decreased from the initial value until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. In one embodiment, the pacing rate is decreased by a set amount after pacing a set number of cardiac cycles. Providing the set number of pacing pulses and decreasing the pacing rate by the set amount is then repeated until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. An intrinsic cardiac rate is then determined from the at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction. The pacing rate is then increased and maintained to be above (i.e., greater than) the intrinsic cardiac rate.

Abstract: An implantable heart-monitoring device comprising one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient's heart a therapy circuit for delivering pharmaceuticals to the patient; and a monitoring circuit coupled to the one or more leads and to the therapy circuit, the monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads, the monitoring circuit operable to: determine a minimum interval from a set of two or more intervals based on sensed heart activity, determine a range parameter based on a difference between a first subset and second subset of the intervals, determine a dispersion parameter quantifying dispersion of a subset of the intervals, and to determine an assessment value for the set of intervals, based on the minimum interval, the range parameter, the dispersion index.

Abstract: An implantable heart-monitoring device comprising one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient's heart a therapy circuit for delivering pharmaceuticals to the patient; and a monitoring circuit coupled to the one or more leads and to the therapy circuit, the monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads, the monitoring circuit operable to: determine a minimum interval from a set of two or more intervals based on sensed heart activity, determine a range parameter based on a difference between a first subset and second subset of the intervals, determine a dispersion parameter quantifying dispersion of a subset of the intervals, and to determine an assessment value for the set of intervals, based on the minimum interval, the range parameter, the dispersion index.

Abstract: A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. In response to the detection of an atrial rate above the atrial tracking rate, discrimination criteria are applied to a detected atrial activity signal to distinguish between different types of supraventricular tachycardia, such as fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter at a relatively slower rate, which may be occurring in the patient. The pacer is controlled to provide pacing therapy to a heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified. The output of an atrial discrimination algorithm may be tracked and the trend thereof used to improve therapy timing. Various embodiments are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. In response to the detection of an atrial rate above the atrial tracking rate, discrimination criteria are applied to a detected atrial activity signal to distinguish between different types of supraventricular tachycardia, such as fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter at a relatively slower rate, which may be occurring in the patient. The pacer is controlled to provide pacing therapy to a heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified. The output of an atrial discrimination algorithm may be tracked and the trend thereof used to improve therapy timing. Various embodiments are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.

Abstract: A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.

Abstract: An implantable heart-monitoring device comprising one or more leads for sensing electrical signals of a patient's heart a therapy circuit for delivering pharmaceuticals to the patient; and a monitoring circuit coupled to the one or more leads and to the therapy circuit, the monitoring circuit for monitoring heart activity of the patient through one or more of the leads, the monitoring circuit operable to: determine a minimum interval from a set of two or more intervals based on sensed heart activity, determine a range parameter based on a difference between a first subset and second subset of the intervals, determine a dispersion parameter quantifying dispersion of a subset of the intervals, and to determine an assessment value for the set of intervals, based on the minimum interval, the range parameter, the dispersion index.

Abstract: A system and method for providing pacing pulses after a cardioversion/defibrillation shock, where the pacing pulses have a pacing rate at an initial value. The pacing rate is decreased from the initial value until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. In one embodiment, the pacing rate is decreased by a set amount after pacing a set number of cardiac cycles. Providing the set number of pacing pulses and decreasing the pacing rate by the set amount is then repeated until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. An intrinsic cardiac rate is then determined from the at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction. The pacing rate is then increased and maintained to be above (i.e., greater than) the intrinsic cardiac rate.

Abstract: Miniature heart-monitoring devices, such as defibrillators and cardioverters, are implanted in humans to detect and correct abnormal heart rhythms Microprocessors and stored instructions, or algorithms within these devices govern how they interpret and react to abnormal heart rhythms. Algorithms that are too simple lead to unnecessary shocking of the heart, while those that are too complex consume considerable battery power. Accordingly, the inventor devised a relatively simple yet accurate algorithm for determining appropriate therapy options. One version of the algorithm computes three statistics—a range statistic, a minimum interval statistic, and a dispersion index—from a set of depolarization intervals. A scalar interval dispersion assessment, based on the three statistics, is then compared to a threshold to identify a rhythm as a flutter or fibrillation.

Abstract: A system and method for providing pacing pulses after a cardioversion/defibrillation shock, where the pacing pulses have a pacing rate at an initial value. The pacing rate is decreased from the initial value until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. In one embodiment, the pacing rate is decreased by a set amount after pacing a set number of cardiac cycles. Providing the set number of pacing pulses and decreasing the pacing rate by the set amount is then repeated until at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction is detected. An intrinsic cardiac rate is then determined from the at least one intrinsic cardiac contraction. The pacing rate is then increased and maintained to be above (i.e., greater than) the intrinsic cardiac rate.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for selecting a shock profile for a defibrillator based on patient discomfort to a plurality of different defibrillating shocks include delivering a first defibrillating shock having an associated first shock profile to a patient, and measuring the associated physical displacement of a selected region in the patient. A second defibrillating shock having an associated second shock profile is delivered to the patient, and the associated physical displacement of the selected region in measured. One of the first or second shock profiles is selected based on which shock profile has the lesser amount of measured physical displacement.

Abstract: A method is presented by which an implantable cardiac rhythm management device may vary the atrio-ventricular delay or AVD interval used for delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy in an atrial tracking or AV sequential pacing mode in accordance with the sensed or paced atrial rate. Optimal values for the AVD parameter associated with a particular atrial rate are computed as linear functions of an intrinsic conduction measurement taken when the particular rate is present.

Abstract: An implantable heart-monitoring device designed to distinguish two differing heart rhythms. The device comprises electrodes, a template, and first, second and third electronic mechanisms. The first electronic mechanism converts electrical representations of heartbeats from the electrodes into digital data and performs calculations including at least a partial discrete wavelet transform upon the digital data to generate a subset of discrete wavelet transform components including components for distinguishing the two differing heart rhythms and also demonstrated to be relatively low in variability from one patient to another. The template contains a corresponding subset of discrete wavelet transform components captured from at least one individual whose heart was beating in accordance with one of the two differing heart rhythms. The second electronic mechanism correlates the subset of transform components against the template components and provides a correlation value.

Abstract: A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. The invention may be implemented in a bradycardia pacemaker or other implantable cardiac device. In response to the detection of an atrial rate above the atrial tracking rate, discrimination criteria are applied to a detected atrial activity signal to distinguish between different types of supraventricular tachycardia, such as fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter at a relatively slower rate, which may be occurring in the patient. The discrimination criteria may be, for example, rate-based or morphology based. The pacer is controlled to provide pacing therapy to a heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified.