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Atrial defibrillator and method for setting energy threshold values

  • US 5,395,373 A
  • Filed: 01/07/1993
  • Issued: 03/07/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An implantable atrial defibrillator adapted to be implanted beneath the skin of a patient for cardioverting the atria of a patient'"'"'s heart when the atria are in need of cardioversion, said atrial defibrillator comprising:

  • first sensing means for sensing atrial activity of the heart;

    atrial fibrillation detecting means responsive to said first sensing means for determining when the atria of the heart are in fibrillation and in need of cardioversion and when the atria of the heart are not in fibrillation; and

    applying means for applying electrical energy to the atria of the patient'"'"'s heart during a predetermined portion of a cardiac cycle of the heart, said applying means being responsive to said atrial fibrillation detecting means for applying first electrical energy to the atria for inducing fibrillation of the atria of the patient'"'"'s heart when the atria of the heart are not in fibrillation and responsive to said atrial fibrillation detecting means for applying second electrical energy to the atria for cardioverting the atria of the patient'"'"'s heart when the atria are in fibrillation and in need of cardioversion, wherein said first electrical energy is of lesser quantity than said second electrical energy.

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