AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF PARAMETERS OF AN EXPOSURE MODE OF AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20110077706A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ellingson, Michael L., Yoon, Hyun J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3688 configured for switching the pacing mode, e.g. from AAI to DDD
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) automatically determines at least a portion of the parameters and, in some instances all of the parameters, of an exposure operating mode based on stored information regarding sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time. The IMD may configure itself to operate in accordance with the automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode in response to detecting a disruptive energy field. Alternatively, the IMD may provide the automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode to a physician as suggested or recommended parameters for the exposure operating mode. In other instances, the automatically determined parameters may be compared to parameters received manually via telemetry and, if differences exist or occur, a physician or patient may be notified and/or the manual parameters may be overridden by the automatically determined parameters.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor that automatically determines one or more parameters of an exposure operating mode based on information stored in the memory related to sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time and switches operation of the implantable medical device from parameters of a current operating mode to the one or more automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor periodically determines the one or more parameters of the exposure operating mode based on the information stored in the memory.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna via which signals are transmitted from and received by the implantable medical device, wherein

the antenna receives a signal via telemetry that includes one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode, and

the processor compares the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters and overrides the received parameters that are different than the automatically determined parameters with the automatically determined parameters.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna via which signals are transmitted from and received by the implantable medical device, wherein

the antenna receives a signal via telemetry that includes one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode, and

the processor compares the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters and an alarm module generates an alert when at least one of the received parameters is different than the automatically determined parameters.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna via which the processor transmits a signal that includes the one or more automatically determined parameters to an external device for presentation to a user.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memory includes operating modes of a predetermined period of time, and the processor analyzes pacing therapies provided during the predetermined period of time and selects an operating mode to be used during the exposure mode based on the analysis.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the processor selects a sense-only mode when the implantable medical device has provided less than a threshold amount of pacing therapy within the predetermined period of time and selects a pacing mode when the implantable medical device has provided a threshold amount of pacing therapy within the predetermined period of time.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memory includes pacing amplitudes of pacing therapies delivered during a predetermined period of time, and the processor analyzes pacing amplitudes of the pacing therapies delivered during the predetermined period of time and selects an amplitude for pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memory includes pacing widths of pacing pulses delivered during a predetermined period of time, and the processor analyzes pacing widths of the pacing pulses delivered during the predetermined period of time and selects a width for pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memory includes heart rates during a predetermined period of time, and the processor analyzes the heart rates during the predetermined period of time and selects a pacing rate of pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is less than approximately four hours.

12. A method comprising:

automatically determining, with an implantable medical device, one or more parameters of an exposure operating mode based on stored information related to sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time; and

switching operation of the implantable medical device from parameters of a current operating mode to the one or more automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the one or more parameters of the exposure operating mode comprises periodically determining the one or more parameters of the exposure operating mode based on the stored information.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

comparing the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

overriding the received parameters that are different than the automatically determined parameters with the automatically determined parameters.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

comparing the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

generating an alert when at least one of the received parameters is different than the automatically determined parameters.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the one or more automatically determined parameters to an external device for presentation to a user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes operating modes of a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing pacing therapies provided during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting an operating mode to be used during the exposure mode based on the analysis.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the operating mode to be used during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis comprises:

selecting a sense-only mode when the implantable medical device has provided less than a threshold amount of pacing therapy within the predetermined period of time; and

selecting a pacing mode when the implantable medical device has provided a threshold amount of pacing therapy within the predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes pacing amplitudes of pacing therapies delivered during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing pacing amplitudes of the pacing therapies delivered during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting an amplitude for pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes pacing widths of pacing pulses delivered during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing pacing widths of the pacing pulses delivered during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting a width for pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes heart rates during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing the heart rates during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting a pacing rate of pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time is less than approximately four hours.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes measured pacing capture thresholds during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing the pacing capture thresholds measured during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting one of an amplitude and pulse width for pacing pulses to be delivered during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes measured sensing amplitudes during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing the sensing amplitudes measured during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting one of a sensing threshold and pacing mode to used during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the stored information includes arrhythmia episodes during a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

analyzing the arrhythmia episodes during the predetermined period of time; and

selecting a pacing mode to be used during the exposure operating mode based on the analysis.

26. An implantable medical device comprising:

means for automatically determining one or more parameters of an exposure operating mode based on stored information related to sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time; and

means for switching operation of the implantable medical device from parameters of a current operating mode to the one or more automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising:

means for receiving one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

means for comparing the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

means for overriding the received parameters that are different than the automatically determined parameters with the automatically determined parameters.

28. The device of claim 26, further comprising:

means for receiving one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

means for comparing the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

means for generating an alert when at least one of the received parameters is different than the automatically determined parameters.

29. The device of claim 26, further comprising means for transmitting the one or more automatically determined parameters to an external device for presentation to a user.

30. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an implantable medical device to:

automatically determine one or more parameters of an exposure operating mode based on stored information related to sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time; and

switch operation of the implantable medical device from parameters of a current operating mode to the one or more automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an implantable medical device to:

receive one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

compare the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

override the received parameters that are different than the automatically determined parameters with the automatically determined parameters.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an implantable medical device to:

receive one or more parameters for the exposure operating mode via telemetry;

compare the parameters received via telemetry to the automatically determined parameters; and

generate an alert when at least one of the received parameters is different than the automatically determined parameters.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an implantable medical device to transmit the one or more automatically determined parameters to an external device for presentation to a user.