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Apparatus for detection of and discrimination between tachycardia and fibrillation and for treatment of both

  • US 5,257,621 A
  • Filed: 01/29/1993
  • Issued: 11/02/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A cardioverter/defibrillator, comprising:

  • treatment means for delivering a first therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart to treat tachycardia and a second therapy to said patient'"'"'s heart to treat fibrillation;

    first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient'"'"'s heart indicative of the depolarization of said patient'"'"'s heart;

    second means for sensing electrical signals from said patient'"'"'s heart indicative of the depolarization of said patient'"'"'s heart;

    means for defining a first criterion indicative of a depolarization of said patient'"'"'s heart;

    means for defining a second criterion indicative of a depolarization of said patient'"'"'s heart;

    first fiducial point detection means, coupled to said first sensing means for determining the time at which the electrical signal sensed by said first sensing means meets said first criterion and for issuing a first fiducial point signal indicative thereof;

    second fiducial point detection means, coupled to said second sensing means for determining the time at which the electrical signal sensed by said second sensing means meets said second criterion and for issuing a second fiducial point signal indicative thereof; and

    tachycardia/fibrillation discriminator means responsive to said first and second fiducial point signals comprising means for defining time intervals based on the times of occurrence of said first fiducal point signals, means for detecting failures of said second fiducal point signals to occur within said defined time intervals, and means responsive to said detected failures for selecting between said first and second therapies.

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