Sympathetic afferent activation for adjusting autonomic tone

• US 20070299476A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Park, Euljoon, Farazi, Taraneh Ghaffari
• Application Number:
  US11/473,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

An exemplary method includes delivering electrical stimulation to a sympathetic afferent nerve, acquiring information indicative of autonomic tone and, based at least in part on the information, determining if the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

delivering electrical stimulation to a sympathetic afferent nerve;

acquiring information indicative of autonomic tone; and

based at least in part on the information, determining if the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a left side sympathetic afferent nerve.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a right side sympathetic afferent nerve.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering delivers electrical stimulation to at least one nerve selected from a group consisting of superior cardiac nerves, middle cardiac nerves, inferior cardiac nerves, and thoracic cardiac nerves.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a nerve other than the left thoracic cardiac nerve.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the acquiring acquires heart rate and a measure of respiration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the acquiring acquires parasympathetic nerve activity.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering causes, indirectly, an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a time period and if the determining does not determine that the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity within the time period, then adjusting one or more stimulation parameters.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulation comprises at least one stimulation parameter selected from a group consisting of amplitude, frequency, duty cycle, stimulation site, and polarity.

11. An implantable device comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

control logic implemented through use of the processor to call for delivering electrical stimulation to a sympathetic afferent nerve;

to call for acquiring information indicative of autonomic tone; and

to determine, based at least in part on the information, if the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity.

12. The implantable device of claim 11 further comprising one or more connectors to electrically connect an electrode-bearing lead to the device.

13. The implantable device of claim 12 wherein the lead comprises a spiral electrode positionable on an autonomic nerve.

14. The implantable device of claim 12 further comprising control logic to adjust a cardiac pacing therapy based at least in part on whether the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity.

15. A system comprising:

means for delivering electrical stimulation to a sympathetic afferent nerve;

means for acquiring information indicative of autonomic tone; and

means for determining, based at least in part on the information, if the delivering caused an increase in parasympathetic nerve activity.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a left side sympathetic afferent nerve.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a right side sympathetic afferent nerve.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for delivering delivers electrical stimulation to at least one nerve selected from a group consisting of superior cardiac nerves, middle cardiac nerves, inferior cardiac nerves, and thoracic cardiac nerves.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for delivering delivers electrical stimulation to a nerve other than the left thoracic cardiac nerve.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for acquiring acquires heart rate and a measure of respiration.