Abstract: According to some method embodiments, a left pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a left pulmonary artery, and the left pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation. According to some method embodiments, a right pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a right pulmonary artery and a left pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a left pulmonary artery, the right pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation, and the left pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a method. According to various method embodiments, at least one lead is inserted through a pulmonary artery to securely position at least one electrode within the pulmonary artery. Neural stimulation is applied to a neural stimulation target using the at least one lead in the pulmonary artery. An atrial rhythm management activity, including at least one of capturing atrial tissue using the at least one lead and sensing an intrinsic atrial event, is performed using the at least one lead in the pulmonary artery. Other embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a lead. Various lead embodiments comprise a lead body including a first portion, a first branch and a second branch. The first portion has an end adapted to connect to an implantable medical device. The first branch and the second branch is connected to the first portion at a bifurcated region. The first branch includes a distal end adapted to be fed into a right pulmonary artery and to securely position at least one electrode within the right pulmonary artery. The second branch includes a distal end adapted to be fed into a left pulmonary artery and to securely position at least one electrode within the left pulmonary artery. Other embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, W, and Y are as described herein, or a tautomer, prodrug, solvate, or salt thereof. These compounds are useful as inhibitors of Urotensin II and are thus useful for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are mediated or sustained through the interaction of Urotensin II with its receptor, including cardiovascular diseases. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, methods of using these compounds in the treatment of various diseases and disorders, processes for preparing these compounds, and intermediates useful in these processes.

Abstract: An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld.

Abstract: A system and method sense a pressure signal in a pulmonary artery and compute a stroke volume and cardiac output. A pressure signal is received from an implantable pressure sensor disposed in a pulmonary artery. The pressure signal includes a systolic period and a diastolic period for determining a heart rate (HR) and a heart cycle. An iteratively-updating model can relate pressure signal and HR to a stroke volume (SV) and a cardiac output (CO). The model extracts a mean pulse pressure (MPP) from the PAP signal and receives a patient-specific vascular resistance model parameter and a patient-specific arterial compliance model parameter. CO can be calculated using the HR, the PAP signal, and the model. The vascular resistance model parameter and the arterial compliance model parameter are iteratively updated using the output of the model.

Abstract: A system and method can sense a tachyarrhythmia, compare the sensed tachyarrhythmia with a ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, provide a ventricular tachyarrhythmia therapy when the sensed tachyarrhythmia satisfies the ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, provide a neural stimulation when the sensed tachyarrhythmia does not satisfy the ventricular tachyarrhythmia criterion, determine whether the tachyarrhythmia continues during or after the neural stimulation when the tachyarrhythmia is sustained, compare the tachyarrhythmia sensed during or after the neural stimulation with a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) criterion, and provide a ventricular tachyarrhythmia therapy when the sensed tachyarrhythmia does not satisfy the SVT criterion.

Abstract: Various method embodiments of the present invention concern sensing patient-internal pressure measurements indicative of physiological exertion, identifying one or more steady state periods of physiological exertion based on the patient-internal pressure measurements, sensing extra-cardiac response data and cardiac response data corresponding to the one or more physiological exertion steady state periods, respectively comparing the extra-cardiac response data and the cardiac response data to extra-cardiac response information and cardiac response information associated with equivalent levels of physiological exertion intensity of the one or more steady state periods, and determining the likelihood that myocardial ischemia occurred during the one or more steady state periods based on the comparison of the extra-cardiac response data to the extra-cardiac response information and the cardiac response data to the cardiac response information.

Abstract: Systems and methods include sensing whether a shock to a heart is needed, and prior to delivering the shock, causing at least a partial contraction of a musculature in a chest, and delivering the shock while the musculature is at least partially contracted to reduce the pain of shock therapy.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an implantable cardiac signal sensing circuit, configured to provide a sensed near-field depolarization signal from a ventricle and to provide a sensed a far-field intrinsic atrial signal using a far-field atrial sensing channel, and a controller circuit communicatively coupled to the cardiac signal sensing circuit. The controller circuit includes a P-wave detection module configured to detect an atrial depolarization in the sensed far-field intrinsic atrial signal and a tachyarrhythmia detection module configured to detect an episode of tachyarrhythmia using the sensed near-field depolarization signal and to determine whether the tachyarrhythmia episode is indicative of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) using the detected atrial depolarization and the sensed near-field depolarization signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for ambulatorily sensing pulmonary artery pressure from within a patient, and producing a pulmonary artery pressure measurement from the sensed pulmonary artery pressure. Power is ambulatorily provided within the patient to facilitate sensing of the pulmonary artery pressure and producing of the pulmonary artery pressure measurement. Acute pulmonary embolism is detected based on a change or rate of change in the pulmonary artery pressure measurement. An alert is preferably generated in response to detecting pulmonary embolism.

Abstract: Various implantable medical device embodiments stimulate an autonomic neural target from within a pulmonary artery, and comprise at least one electrode, a power supply, a neural stimulator connected to the power supply, and an anchor structure. The neural stimulator is configured to generate a neural stimulation signal for delivery to the neural stimulation target through the at least one electrode. The anchor structure is configured to chronically and securely implant the neural stimulator, the power supply and the at least one electrode within the pulmonary artery. The anchor structure, the neural stimulator, the power supply and the at least one electrode are configured to be implanted through a pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery. In various embodiments, the neural stimulator is configured to be operational to implement a neural stimulation protocol when chronically implanted within the pulmonary artery without a wired connection through the pulmonary valve.

Abstract: A system and method automatically classifies a patient's heart function status, such as by using an implantable medical device (IMD) to determine a physiological response to activity, and using that information to perform the classification. For example, a physical activity sensor and a physiological sensor are used to automatically classify patients into heart function status classes, such as NYHA classes or ACC/AHA classes. Changes in a patient's classification can be used to monitor heart function status over time and to monitor therapy responsiveness.

Abstract: An implantable medical device for generating a cardiac pressure-volume loop, the implantable medical device comprising a pulse generator including control circuitry, a first cardiac lead including a proximal end and a distal end and coupled to the pulse generator at the proximal end, a first electrode located at the distal end of the cardiac lead and operatively coupled to the control circuitry, a sound sensor operatively coupled to the control circuitry, and a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the implantable medical device is adapted for measuring intracardiac impedance. A method of using the implantable medical device to optimize therapy delivered to the heart.

Abstract: A lead includes a lead body and an electrode disposed proximate a distal end of the lead body. A retaining member is disposed proximate the distal end of the lead and adapted to retain the electrode proximate an interatrial septum when the retaining member is located on a left atrial side of the interatrial septum.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating qualitative assessment into remote patient management through a visual analog scale is provided. A query is associated to a physiological condition. A visual analog scale includes a linear gradient and, at each end, descriptors for a range of subjective and continuous responses to the query. Assessment data for a patient is obtained. A medical device of the patient is interrogated and stored data is received. The query is displayed with the visual analog scale. An answer to the query includes a point selected between the ends of and along the linear gradient. A distance of the point from one end of the linear gradient is determined. The distance is quantified as a fixed value in proportion to the distance. A risk to the patient is assessed. The stored data and the fixed value are analyzed against the physiological condition to represent patient wellness.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a system comprising a sensor signal processor configured to receive a plurality of electrical sensor signals produced by a plurality of sensors and at least one sensor signal produced by an implantable sensor, a memory that includes information indicating a co-morbidity of a subject, a sensor signal selection circuit that selects a sensor signal to monitor from among the plurality of sensor signals, according to an indicated co-morbidity, a threshold adjustment circuit that adjusts a detection threshold of the selected sensor signal according to the indicated co-morbidity, and a decision circuit that applies the adjusted detection threshold to the selected sensor signal to determine whether an event associated with worsening heart failure (HF) occurred in the subject and outputs an indication of whether the event associated with worsening HF occurred to a user or process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to devices and methods for measuring arterial elasticity and/or blood pressure, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes an implantable medical device having a sensor element that is configured to engage a vessel of a patient. The sensor element is further configured to generate a signal in response to bending of the sensor element, where bending occurs as a result of changes in the pressure within the vessel. The implantable medical device further includes a controller in signal communication with the sensor element, where the controller is configured to store information regarding the signal generated by the sensor element. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A lead includes a lead body and an electrode disposed proximate a distal end of the lead body. A retaining member is disposed proximate the distal end of the lead and adapted to retain the electrode proximate an interatrial septum when the retaining member is located on a left atrial side of the interatrial septum.