METHODS AND APPARATUS TO STIMULATE HEART ATRIA

• US 20080077187A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Backbeat Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: G & L Consulting LLC.
• Inventors: Gelfand, Mark, Levin, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3624 occurring in the atrium, i.e. atrial tachycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• 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 1/3684 for stimulating the heart at multiple sites of the ventricle or the atrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36843 Bi-ventricular stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treatment of hypertension and heart failure by increasing vagal tone and secretion of endogenous atrial hormones by excitory pacing of the heart atria. Atrial pacing is done during the ventricular refractory period resulting in atrial contraction against closed AV valves, and atrial contraction rate that is higher than the ventricular contraction rate. Pacing results in the increased atrial wall stress. An implantable device is used to monitor ECG and pace the atria in a nonphysiologic manner.

Claims

1. A method for pacing a heart of a patient comprising:

artificially pacing an atria of the heart during a period between a end of an atrial refractory period and an end of a ventricular refractory period of the heart.

2. The method in claim 1 wherein pacing includes excitory simulation to the atria of the heart.

3. The method in claim 1 wherein the pacing is applied to multiple atria of the heart.

4. The method in claim 1 further comprising contraction of the atria due to pacing.

5. The method in claim 1 wherein the artificial pacing is performed solely during the period.

6. A method in claim 1 where the pacing stimulates the heart to contract the atria without an immediately following contraction of a ventricle of the heart.

7. The method in claim 6 where the stimulation contracts the atria against a closed heart valve.

8. The method in claim 6 where the contraction of the atria against the closed heart valve distends walls of the atria.

9. the method in claim 1 further comprising detecting a P wave of the heart.

10. A method as in claim 1 including detection of heat T wave.

11. A method as in claim 1 where pacing occurs during Absolute refractory phase of the ventricle of the heart.

12. A method for stressing walls of an atrium of a heart of a patient comprising:

detecting an end of an atrial refractory period of the heart,

predicting an end of the ventricular refractory period,

pacing an atria of the heart between the detected end of the atrial refractory period and the predicted end of the ventricular refractory period.

13. The method in claim 12 further comprising achieving a rate of atrial contractions faster than a rate of ventricular contractions of the heart due to the pacing.

14. The method in claim 12 wherein the pacing yields an atrial contraction and a subsequent atrial contraction occurs naturally without pacing.

15. The method in claim 14 wherein the pacing is performed on alternative atrial contractions and intervening atrial contractions occur naturally.

16. The method in claim 12 wherein in four successive atrial contractions pacing is applied to yield two successive atrial contractions and the other two successive contractions occur naturally without pacing.