Apparatus and method for arrhythmia induction in arrhythmia control system
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device for providing therapy to a patient'"'"'s inadequately functioning heart, comprising:
- means for detecting fibrillation;
a defibrillation electrode lead system for delivering defibrillation therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart;
defibrillation circuit means for providing defibrillation therapy to said defibrillation electrode lead system, said defibrillation circuit means including means for storing an electrical charge, first control means coupled to said charge storing means for electrically charging said charge storing means to an appropriately high energy level for use in defibrillation therapy, in response to a detected tachycardia condition, and for electrically charging said charge storing means to an appropriately low energy level for selectively inducing arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart, and switching means for coupling said charge storing means to said defibrillation electrode lead system;
said device further including second control means coupled to said switching means and operative when said first control means has electrically charged said charge storing means to a low energy level for selectively actuating said switching means to generate a plurality of micro-shocks from said low energy electrical charge in said charge storing means and to deliver said micro-shocks to said defibrillation electrode lead system for inducing said arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device and method for providing therapy to a patient'"'"'s inadequately functioning heart are disclosed. The device and method utilize a defibrillation electrode lead system to deliver defibrillation therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart, and a defibrillator to provide the defibrillation therapy that is delivered by the defibrillation electrode lead system. The defibrillator includes a charge storing circuit for storing an electrical charge therein. Controls are employed for charging the charge storing circuit to an appropriately high energy level for use in defibrillation therapy, in response to a detected tachycardia condition, and for charging the charge storing circuit to an appropriately low energy level for selectively inducing an arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart. Switching circuitry is utilized to couple the charge storing circuit to the defibrillation electrode lead system; and, controls are provided for selectively actuating the switching circuitry to generate a plurality of micro-shocks from the low energy electrical charge in the charge storing circuit and to deliver the micro-shocks to the defibrillation electrode lead system.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device for providing therapy to a patient'"'"'s inadequately functioning heart, comprising:
- means for detecting fibrillation;
a defibrillation electrode lead system for delivering defibrillation therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart;
defibrillation circuit means for providing defibrillation therapy to said defibrillation electrode lead system, said defibrillation circuit means including means for storing an electrical charge, first control means coupled to said charge storing means for electrically charging said charge storing means to an appropriately high energy level for use in defibrillation therapy, in response to a detected tachycardia condition, and for electrically charging said charge storing means to an appropriately low energy level for selectively inducing arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart, and switching means for coupling said charge storing means to said defibrillation electrode lead system;
said device further including second control means coupled to said switching means and operative when said first control means has electrically charged said charge storing means to a low energy level for selectively actuating said switching means to generate a plurality of micro-shocks from said low energy electrical charge in said charge storing means and to deliver said micro-shocks to said defibrillation electrode lead system for inducing said arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- means for detecting fibrillation;
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24. A method for inducing fibrillation in and providing defibrillation therapy to a patient'"'"'s inadequately functioning heart, comprising the steps of:
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providing an implantable medical device including a fibrillation detection means, a defibrillation electrode lead system for delivering defibrillation therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart and a defibrillation circuit having an electrical charge storing mans therein for providing defibrillation therapy to the defibrillation electrode lead system; charging said charge storing means to an appropriately high energy level for use in defibrillation therapy in response to a detected tachycardia condition, and to an appropriately low energy level for inducing arrhythmia in the patient'"'"'s heart at selected other times; generating a plurality of micro-shocks from energy derived from said charge storing means; and
,delivering at least a portion of said micro-shocks to the patient'"'"'s heart through said defibrillation electrode lead system to induce said arrhythmia therein. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification