Cardiac rhythm management system providing control of pacing features with a reduced number of variables

• US 20040143305A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Kalgren, James, Kramer, Andrew P., Wentkowski, Rene H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence

Abstract

A cardiac rhythm management system includes techniques for reducing the number of programmable variables associated with maximum pacing rate so that fewer variables are programmed and a reduction in possible parameter conflict is achieved. In an embodiment, a maximum pacing rate parameter replaces a plurality of conventional, separately programmable pacing parameters. For example, maximum tracking rate, maximum sensor rate, rate smoothing maximum pacing rate, atrial pacing preference maximum pacing rate, and ventricular rate regulation maximum pacing rate are replaced by a single maximum pacing rate with, if necessary, a sensor offset and an atrial pacing preference offset. In another example, rate smoothing maximum pacing rate, biventricular trigger maximum pacing rate and ventricular rate regulation maximum pacing rate are replaced by a single maximum pacing rate.

Claims

1. A programmer for a cardiac rhythm management device, the programmer comprising a communication unit to transmit a signal to the cardiac rhythm management device, wherein the signal includes a single maximum pacing rate that is adapted to produce a pacing output signal for a plurality of pacing processes.

2. The programmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of pacing processes includes at least two of ventricular tracking, pacing rate smoothing, tracking rate, sensor rate, atrial pacing preference, ventricular rate regulation, and biventricular triggering.

3. The programmer of claim 2, wherein each of said pacing processes are limited by said single maximum pacing rate.

4. The programmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of pacing processes includes at least two of said pacing processes based on said maximum pacing rate, wherein said plurality of pacing processes includes atrial pacing preference, wherein said communication unit downloads a signal including an atrial pacing preference offset to offset said maximum pacing rate to determine a maximum atrial pacing preference rate.

5. The programmer of claim 4, wherein each of said pacing processes are limited by said single maximum pacing rate.

6. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the single maximum pacing rate for at least one of the pacing processes is adapted to be altered by an offset.

7. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is adapted to transmit the offset to the cardiac rhythm management device.

8. The programmer of claim 7, wherein the communication unit is adapted to wirelessly transmit the offset.

9. The programmer of claim 7, wherein the communication unit is adapted to be prompt a user to input the offset.

10. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is adapted to transmit an atrial pacing preference offset.

11. The programmer of claim 10, wherein the atrial pacing preference offset is a fraction of the single maximum pacing rate.

12. The programmer of claim 10, wherein the atrial pacing preference offset is a percentage of the single maximum pacing rate.

13. The programmer of claim 10, wherein the atrial pacing preference offset is a discrete number offset of the single maximum pacing rate.

14. The programmer of claim 1, further comprising a memory adapted to store which of the plurality of pacing processes requires an offset from the single maximum pacing rate.

15. The programmer of claim 14, wherein the memory is adapted to store a default maximum pacing rate.

16. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is adapted to receive the single maximum pacing rate as an input.

17. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the communication unit includes a telemetry device.