Impedance measuring pacer
First Claim
1. A system for measuring pacer electrode impedance comprising a pacer including means for delivering stimulating pulses to a connected electrode, and externally controlled means for causing at least some of said stimulating pulses to be delivered in a sequence having decreasing amplitudes;
- and a chart associated with said pacer which depicts electrode impedance as a function of the number of said at least some stimulating pulses required for the amplitudes thereof to decrease by a predetermined factor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pacer which facilitates the measurements of both electrode impedance and stimulation threshold. When activated by an external magnet, a sequence of reducing-amplitude stimulating pulses is generated, with successive pulses in the sequence being separated by full-amplitude pulses. This pulse alternation scheme allows long test sequences, and therefore measurements with greater resolution, because full-amplitude pacing pulses are always present (even though at a slightly reduced rate). The reduction in amplitude of successive pulses is determined by the electrode impedance rather than being predetermined, and thus the examination of a skin potential recording allows electrode impedance to be determined along with the capture threshold.
88 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for measuring pacer electrode impedance comprising a pacer including means for delivering stimulating pulses to a connected electrode, and externally controlled means for causing at least some of said stimulating pulses to be delivered in a sequence having decreasing amplitudes;
- and a chart associated with said pacer which depicts electrode impedance as a function of the number of said at least some stimulating pulses required for the amplitudes thereof to decrease by a predetermined factor.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- 14. A pacer which facilitates the measurement of pacer electrode impedance comprising means for delivering stimulating pulses to a connected electrode, externally controlled means for causing at least some of said stimulating pulses to be delivered in a sequence having decreasing amplitudes, and means for causing the amplitude of each of said at least some stimulating pulses to be less than that of its predecessor by a precentage which is directly proportional to the impedance of said connected electrode.
Specification