Device for regulating heart rate and heart pumping force

• US 20020026222A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Schaldach, Max, Schauerte, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 6,690,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3622 comprising two or more electrodes co-operating with different heart regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for the therapy of supraventricular and ventricular bradycardial and tachycardial disrhythmias and/or for influencing the heart pumping force, including

electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of parasympathetic nerves which innervate the sinus node, the atria, the atrioventricular node or the ventricles;

electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of the atria and ventricles and/or for ventricular cardioversion/defibrillation;

a device for producing electrical and/or magnetic stimulation pulses which are passed to the electrodes; and

a device for detecting the rate at which the human atria and ventricles beat, wherein said device measures atrial and ventricular contractions.

Claims

1. A device for the therapy of supraventricular and ventricular bradycardial and tachycardial disrhythmias and/or for influencing the heart pumping force, including

electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of sympathetic and/or parasympathetic nerves which innervate the sinus node, the atria, the atrioventricular node or the ventricles, with an associated first and second device for producing electrical and/or magnetic stimulation pulses which are passed to the corresponding electrodes, wherein said first and second device are activated by an associated first and second device respectively for detecting a first and second input signal respectively when said first and second input signal correspond to a predetermined criterion, and

electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of the atria and ventricles and/or for ventricular cardioversion/defibrillation with an associated third and fourth device for producing electrical and/or magnetic stimulation pulses which are passed to said electrodes, wherein said third and fourth device are activated by an associated third and fourth device respectively for the detection of a third and fourth input signal respectively when said third and fourth input signal correspond to a predetermined criterion.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a device for detecting the rate at which the human atria and ventricles beat, said device measuring atrial and ventricular contractions.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 including a device for detecting biological parameters such as arterial blood pressure, the right or left ventricular pressure, oxygen saturation of the blood or the heart time volume.

4. A device as set forth in claims 1 through 3 including a respective device for programming frequency limits above or below which a beat rate of the heart is identified as tachycardia or bradycardia.

5. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 4 including a respective device for programming a blood pressure and/or heart time volume limit, below which a heart insufficiency in need of treatment is identified.

6. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 5 including a device for programming a regulating relationship which is a measurement in respect of the intensity of the sympathetic or parasympathetic stimulation to be initiated in dependence on the intensity of a parameter forming a measurement in respect of the current heart output requirement.

7. A device as set forth in one of the preceding claims including a respective device for programming limits above or below which a physiological parameter produces a sympathetic or parasympathetic stimulation effect.

8. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 7 including a start unit which reacts to the detection unit and which activates the corresponding stimulation pulse-producing device when the detected heartbeat rate of the atria or ventricles exceeds/falls below the programmed frequency limit.

9. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 8 including a start unit which reacts to the detection unit and which activates the corresponding stimulation pulse-producing device when the arterial blood pressure and/or the heart time volume falls below a programmed lower limit.

10. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 9 including a unit which compares the atrium/ventricle frequency measured during stimulation by the detection units and the arterial blood pressure and/or the heart time volume to corresponding values prior to/without stimulation and/or the corresponding programmed limit values.

11. A device as set forth in one of claims 1 through 10 including a stimulation device for atrial and/or ventricular electrical and/or magnetic myocardial stimulation and/or cardioversion/defibrillation.