Abstract: A method and apparatus that pretreat a patient prior to each therapeutic painful stimulus in a series of therapeutic painful stimuli, comprising the application of pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to the application of each therapeutic painful stimulus in the series. Applying pain inhibiting stimuli comprises the steps of sensing a need for a next therapeutic painful stimulus in a series, preparing to deliver the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the next therapeutic painful stimulus, and delivering the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the next therapeutic painful stimulus. The method and apparatus are embodied in modern, noninvasive, transcutaneous or transesophageal pacing devices, either as stand-alone cardiac pacemakers, combination pacemaker-ECG monitors, or combination pacemaker-monitor-defibrillators. The pain inhibiting prepulse method is intended primarily for use in conscious patients but may also be used in sleeping patients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pretreating a patient prior to a therapeutic painful stimulus, comprising the application of pain inhibiting stimuli to a patient prior to an application of the therapeutic painful stimulus. Applying pain inhibiting stimuli comprises the steps of sensing a need for the therapeutic painful stimulus, preparing to deliver the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the therapeutic painful stimulus, and delivering the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the therapeutic painful stimulus. The method and apparatus are embodied in modern, fully automatic, fully implantable, single or dual chamber atrial or ventricular cardioverter-defibrillators. The pain inhibiting prepulse method is intended primarily for use in conscious patients but may also be used in sleeping patients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pretreating a patient prior to a therapeutic painful stimulus, comprising the application of pain inhibiting stimuli to a patient prior to an application of the therapeutic painful stimulus. Applying pain inhibiting stimuli comprises the steps of sensing a need for the therapeutic painful stimulus, preparing to deliver the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the therapeutic painful stimulus, and delivering the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the therapeutic painful stimulus. The method and apparatus are embodied in modem, fully automatic, fully implantable, single or dual chamber atrial or ventricular cardioverter-defibrillators. The pain inhibiting prepulse method is intended primarily for use in conscious patients but may also be used in sleeping patients.