Implantable cardiac patient monitor
First Claim
1. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
- electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart;
timing means for timing a heart monitoring period;
sensing means coupled to said electrode means for generating an electrocardiogram of each heartbeat of the heart occurring during said heart monitoring period;
time interval determining means responsive to said electrocardiograms for determining time intervals between adjacent heartbeats;
heart rate data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating heart rate digital data;
memory means for storing said heart rate digital data;
factor generating means responsive to said timing means and said stored heart rate digital data for generating a digital heart rate variability factor at the end of said heart monitoring period;
said memory means for storing said digital heart rate variability factor; and
telemetry means for transmitting said digital heart rate variability factor stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac monitor which is fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient monitors heart rate variability of a human heart. The heart rate monitor includes at least one electrode which establishes electrical contact with the heart. During a heart monitoring period, time intervals between adjacent heart beats are determined for generating heart rate data. The heart rate data is stored in a memory which is accessed after the completion of the heart monitoring period for generating a heart rate variability factor. The heart rate variability factor is stored in memory for later transmission to a nonimplanted external receiver.
603 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; timing means for timing a heart monitoring period; sensing means coupled to said electrode means for generating an electrocardiogram of each heartbeat of the heart occurring during said heart monitoring period; time interval determining means responsive to said electrocardiograms for determining time intervals between adjacent heartbeats; heart rate data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating heart rate digital data; memory means for storing said heart rate digital data; factor generating means responsive to said timing means and said stored heart rate digital data for generating a digital heart rate variability factor at the end of said heart monitoring period; said memory means for storing said digital heart rate variability factor; and telemetry means for transmitting said digital heart rate variability factor stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; timing means for timing a heart monitoring period; sensing means coupled to said electrode means for generating an electrocardiogram of each heartbeat of the heart occurring during said heart monitoring period; time interval determining means responsive to said electrocardiograms for determining time intervals between adjacent heartbeats; second timing means for timing monitoring sub-periods during said heart monitoring periods; heart rate data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating first heart rate data and responsive to said first heart rate data for generating second heart rate data at the end of each said monitoring sub-period; memory means for storing said first and second heart rate data; factor generating means responsive to said stored second heart rate data for generating a digital heart rate variability factor; said memory means for storing said heart rate variability factor; and telemetry means for transmitting said heart rate variability factor stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver.
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7. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; timing means for timing a heart monitoring period; sensing means coupled to said electrode means for generating an electrocardiogram of each heartbeat of the heart occurring during said heart monitoring period; time interval determining means responsive to said electrocardiograms for determining time intervals between adjacent heartbeats; heart rate data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating heart rate data; memory means for storing said heart discriminating means for discriminating between normal sinus heart beats and ventricular heart beats; factor generating means responsive to said stored heart rate data for generating a heart rate variability factor; said memory means for storing said heart rate variability factor; and telemetry means for transmitting said heart rate variability factor stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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timing means for timing successive heart monitoring periods; electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; R wave detecting means coupled to said electrode means for detecting R waves of the heart, during each said heart monitoring period; interval determining means responsive to said R wave detecting means for determining the time intervals between adjacent R waves; data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating heart rate digital data; memory means for storing said heart rate digital data; factor generating means responsive to the completion of each said heart monitoring period timed by said timing means and said stored heart rate digital data for generating a digital heart rate variability factor for each said heart monitoring period; said memory means for storing said digital heart rate variability factors; and telemetry means for transmitting said digital heart rate variability factors stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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timing means for timing successive heart monitoring periods; electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; R wave detecting means coupled to said electrode means for detecting R waves of the heart, during each said heart monitoring period; interval determining means responsive to said R wave detecting means for determining the time intervals between adjacent R waves; second timing means for timing monitoring sub-periods during said heart monitoring periods; generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating first heart rate data and responsive to said first heart rate data for generating second heart rate data at the end of each said monitoring sub-period; memory means for storing said first and second heart rate data; factor generating means responsive to the completion of each said heart monitoring period and said second stored heart rate data for Generating a heart rate variability factor for each said heart monitoring period; said memory means for storing said heart rate variability factors; and telemetry means for transmitting said heart rate variability factors stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver.
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19. A cardiac monitor for monitoring heart rate variability of a human heart, said monitor being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:
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timing means for timing successive heart monitoring periods; electrode means for establishing electrical contact with the heart; R wave detecting means coupled to said electrode means for detecting R waves of the heart, during each said heart monitoring period; interval determining means responsive to said R wave detecting means for determining the time intervals between adjacent R waves; data generating means responsive to said time intervals for generating heart rate data; memory means for storing said heart rate data; discriminating means for discriminating between normal sinus heart beats and ventricular heart beats; factor generating means responsive to the completion of each said heart monitoring period and said stored heart rate data for generating a heart rate variability factor for each said heart monitoring period; said memory means for storing said heart rate variability factors; and telemetry means for transmitting said heart rate variability factors stored in said memory means to a nonimplanted external receiver. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification