IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC MONITOR UPGRADEABLE TO PACEMAKER OR CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION DEVICE

• US 20120203298A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard S. Sanders
• Original Assignee: Richard S. Sanders
• Inventors: Sanders, Richard S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware

Abstract

An implantable cardiac monitor upgradeable to an implantable pacemaker or an implantable cardiac resynchronization device allows the use of a single implantable medical device for monitoring cardiac conditions and later, if needed, for cardiac pacing. The implantable medical device includes a circuit that can be configured, by programming through an external programmer, to either the implantable cardiac monitor or the implantable pacemaker. The implantable medical device is first configured to and used as the implantable cardiac monitor for acquisition of physiological data indicative of a need for a pacing therapy if the pacing therapy is to follow, the implantable medical device is reconfigured from the implantable cardiac monitor to the implantable pacemaker, thus eliminating the need of using two implantable medical devices.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to cause a computer or computer-based system to perform a method comprising:

generating instructions readable by an implantable cardiac monitor, the instructions upgrading the implantable cardiac monitor to an implantable pacemaker, including programming a sensing circuit for sensing an intracardiac electrogram; and

transmitting the instructions to the implantable cardiac monitor via telemetry.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein programming the sensing circuit comprises programming a band-pass filter.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein generating the instructions comprises generating instructions for re-allocating memory spaces for program and data storages.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein generating the instructions comprises generating a command to execute one or more pacing algorithms stored in the implantable cardiac monitor.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a signal indicative of whether the implantable cardiac monitor has been upgraded to the implantable pacemaker.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein transmitting the instructions to the implantable cardiac monitor includes transmitting the instructions when a need to upgrade the implantable cardiac monitor to the implantable pacemaker is indicated, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving data acquired by the implantable cardiac monitor; and

analyzing the received data for an indication of the need to upgrade the implantable cardiac monitor to the implantable pacemaker.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein analyzing the received data comprises analyzing the received data to detect one or more predetermined cardiac arrhythmias.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker, the instructions converting the implantable pacemaker back to the implantable cardiac monitor, including programming the sensing circuit for sensing a far-field electrogram; and

transmitting the instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker to the implantable pacemaker.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein generating the instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker comprises:

generating instructions for preparing and executing at least one arrhythmia detection algorithm; and

generating instructions for creating an activity log reporting detection of arrhythmias each including a time of occurrence and a type.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim it wherein generating the instructions comprises generating one or more pacing algorithms.

11. A method, comprising:

generating instructions readable by an implantable cardiac monitor, the instructions upgrading the implantable cardiac monitor to an implantable pacemaker, including programming a sensing circuit for sensing an intracardiac electrogram; and

transmitting the instructions to the implantable cardiac monitor via telemetry.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein programming the sensing circuit comprises programming a band-pass filter.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the instructions comprises generating instructions for re-allocating memory spaces for program and data storages.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the instructions comprises generating one or more pacing algorithms.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the instructions comprises generating a command to execute one or more pacing algorithms stored in the implantable cardiac monitor.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a signal indicative of whether the implantable cardiac monitor has been upgraded to the implantable pacemaker.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the instructions to the implantable cardiac monitor comprises transmitting the instructions when a need to upgrade the implantable cardiac monitor to the implantable pacemaker is indicated, and further comprising:

receiving data acquired by the implantable cardiac monitor; and

analyzing the received data for an indication of the need to upgrade the implantable cardiac monitor to the implantable pacemaker.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing the received data comprises analyzing the received data to detect one or more predetermined cardiac arrhythmias.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker, the instructions converting the implantable pacemaker back to the implantable cardiac monitor, including programming the sensing circuit for sensing a far-field electrogram; and

transmitting the instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker to the implantable pacemaker.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the instructions readable by the implantable pacemaker comprises:

generating instructions for preparing and executing at least one arrhythmia detection algorithm; and

generating instructions for creating an activity log reporting detection of arrhythmias each including a time of occurrence and a type.