Waveform morphology discriminator and method

• US 4,552,154 A
• Filed: 03/12/1984
• Issued: 11/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hartlaub, Jerome T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/588,277
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 PG, 128/702-705
• US Class Current: 600/515
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate

Abstract

A waveform detection system for use in a pacemaker for distinguishing normal beats from ectopic or abnormal beats for example, such as those involving ventricular tachycardia, ventricular flutter or fribrillation, premature ventricular beats, supraventricular tachycardia, retrograde conduction; and in dual chamber or atrial applications those involving atrial tachycardia and atrial flutter or fibrillation. The term "abnormal" is employed herein to mean all abnormal beats including those specified above. In the system of the illustrated embodiment a sense amplifier is employed for initiating a counter in response to a detected cardiac event and a voltage controlled oscillator is used for converting the instantaneous value of the applied waveform to a bit rate delivered to the counter. The morphology or shape of the physiological waveform is represented by a number present in the counter at the end of the counting cycle which allows for a therapy decision to be made.

Claims