Methods and Apparatus to Stimulate Heart Atria
First Claim
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1. A method for controllably reducing heart rate by pacing a heart of a patient having an atrium and a ventricle, the method comprising:
- pacing, after a first ventricular contraction of the heart, an atrium of the heart, wherein the atrial pacing occurs after expiration of an atrial refractory period of the heart and during a ventricular refractory period of the heart; and
causing an atrial contraction as a result of the atrial pacing,wherein the atrial contraction does not elicit a second ventricular contraction.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for treatment of hypertension and heart failure by increasing secretion of endogenous atrial hormones by pacing of the heart atria. Atrial pacing is done during the ventricular refractory period resulting in premature atrial contraction that does not result in ventricular contraction. Pacing results in the atrial wall stress, peripheral vasodilation, ANP secretion. Concomitant reduction of the heart rate is monitored and controlled as needed with backup pacing.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for controllably reducing heart rate by pacing a heart of a patient having an atrium and a ventricle, the method comprising:
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pacing, after a first ventricular contraction of the heart, an atrium of the heart, wherein the atrial pacing occurs after expiration of an atrial refractory period of the heart and during a ventricular refractory period of the heart; and causing an atrial contraction as a result of the atrial pacing, wherein the atrial contraction does not elicit a second ventricular contraction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, carried out with an implanted heart muscle stimulator associated with a heart of a patient, for treating a blood pressure disorder in the patient, the patient having a pretreatment blood pressure, the method comprising:
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pacing at least one chamber of the heart of the patient so as to cause an atrium of the heart to contract while a heart valve associated with the atrium is closed; causing increased atrial wall stress as a result of the atrial contraction against the closed heart valve; and reducing the patient'"'"'s blood pressure from the pretreatment blood pressure as a result of the increased atrial wall stress. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A device for treating a blood pressure disorder in a patient, the patient having a pretreatment blood pressure, the device comprising:
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at least one electrically conductive lead configured to connect to a heart of the patient; an electrical pulse generator connectable to the at least one electrically conductive lead and configured to; generate electrical pulses to excitable heart tissue of the heart through the at least one electrically conductive lead, wherein the electrical pulses pace at least one chamber of the heart so as to cause an atrium of the heart to contract while a heart valve associated with the atrium is closed such that the atrial contraction against the closed heart valve causes increased atrial wall stress. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification