Abstract: A cardiac stimulation device and method discriminates sinus events from non-sinus events and provide a uniquely prescribed response upon detection of a specific event.

Abstract: An improved pacing system and related method for use in an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator are disclosed which operate using a predetermined subset of combinations of possible combinations for pacing stimulus pulse amplitude and pulse width, which subset of combinations are the most energy-efficient pairs, thereby ensuring reduced battery current drain. This is accomplished by ensuring that each combination has the lowest battery charge drain of any combination having at least the rheobase value of that particular combination as a function of cardiac chronaxie. The preferred embodiment of the pacing system of the present invention includes capture verification to enable a substantially reduced safety margin to further minimize the level of battery charge drain. The preferred embodiment of the pacing system of the present invention also includes the capability to produce a safety backup pulse, to ensure that the pacing system never misses a beat.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation system and associated method automatically adjust a pre-ventricular atrial blanking period such that far-field R-waves are not detected by the atrial channel as P-waves. The pre-ventricular atrial blanking period is dynamically adjusted to a period that causes the system to ignore an atrial sensed event that follows a prior atrial event without an intervening ventricular event.