Atrial defibrillator and method for providing atrial sensing
First Claim
1. An implantable atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said atrial defibrillator comprising:
- first detecting means adapted for sensing activity of the heart in at least one of the atria of the heart;
atrial fibrillation detecting means responsive to the activity of the heart sensed by said first detecting means for determining when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion;
second detecting means for detecting ventricular activations of the heart;
cardioverting means for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion and being responsive to said second detecting means for applying said cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart in predetermined time relation to a detected ventricular activation; and
means for causing said atrial fibrillation detecting means to ignore, in determining when the atria are in need of cardioversion, the activity of the heart sensed by said first detecting means during the detection by said second detecting means of the ventricular activations of the heart.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable atrial defibrillator applies cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion. The atrial defibrillator includes a first detector for sensing atrial activity of the heart, an atrial fibrillation detector responsive to the first detector for determining when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion and a second detector for detecting ventricular activations of the heart. The atrial defibrillator further includes a cardioverter for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion and is responsive to the second detector for applying the cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart in predetermined time relation to a detected ventricular activation. The detection of atrial activity of the heart is interrupted when a ventricular activation of the heart is detected by the second detector.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An implantable atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said atrial defibrillator comprising:
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first detecting means adapted for sensing activity of the heart in at least one of the atria of the heart; atrial fibrillation detecting means responsive to the activity of the heart sensed by said first detecting means for determining when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion; second detecting means for detecting ventricular activations of the heart; cardioverting means for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart when the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion and being responsive to said second detecting means for applying said cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart in predetermined time relation to a detected ventricular activation; and means for causing said atrial fibrillation detecting means to ignore, in determining when the atria are in need of cardioversion, the activity of the heart sensed by said first detecting means during the detection by said second detecting means of the ventricular activations of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing activity of the heart in at least one of the atria of the heart; detecting ventricular activations of the heart; providing an atrial fibrillation detector for determining from the activity of the heart sensed in the at least one of the atria when the atria are in need of cardioversion; causing said atrial fibrillation detector, in determining when the atria are in need of cardioversion, to ignore the activity of the heart sensed in the at least one of the atria during the detection of the ventricular activations of the heart; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart when the atria are in need of cardioversion and in predetermined timed relation to be detected ventricular activation of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first electrode and a second electrode; establishing electrical contact between said first electrode and a point within the coronary sinus or great cardiac vein of the heart; establishing electrical contact between said second electrode and a point within the superior vena cava or right atrium of the heart; sensing activity of the heart between said first and second electrodes; detecting ventricular activations of the heart; providing an atrial fibrillation detector for determining from the activity of the heart sensed between said first and second electrodes when the atria are in need of cardioversion; causing said atrial fibrillation detector, in determining when the atria are in need of cardioversion, to ignore the activity of the heart sensed between said first and second electrodes during the detection of the ventricular activations; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart when the atria are in need of cardioversion and in predetermined timed relation to a detected ventricular activation of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification