Method and apparatus for synchronization of atrial defibrillation pulses
First Claim
1. An atrial cardioverter or defibrillator, comprising:
- means for detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium;
means for delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium; and
synchronization means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse, said synchronization means comprising;
means for sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle;
means for measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations to derive an interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate;
means for deriving an escape interval less than said interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate, initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization; and
means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting and treating atrial fibrillation. In response to detecting atrial fibrillation, the device derives an escape interval based on one or more preceding intervals between ventricular depolarizations. The escape interval is initiated in response to a ventricular depolarization, and in response to the expiration of the escape interval, an atrial cardioversion pulse is delivered. In one embodiment of the invention, the cardioverting pulse is delivered immediately upon expiration of the derived escape interval. In a second embodiment of the invention, a ventricular pacing pulse is delivered on expiration of the escape interval, with an atrial cardioversion pulse following after a short delay.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An atrial cardioverter or defibrillator, comprising:
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means for detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; means for delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium; and synchronization means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse, said synchronization means comprising; means for sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; means for measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations to derive an interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate; means for deriving an escape interval less than said interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate, initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization; and means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval. - View Dependent Claims (3, 9)
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2. An atrial cardioverter or defibrillator, comprising:
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means for detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; means for delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium; and synchronization means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse, said synchronization means comprising; means for sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; means for measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations to determine an interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate; means for defining a single escape interval less than said interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate, initiated on a said sensed ventricular depolarization; and means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse in response to expiration of said single escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said single escape interval.
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4. An atrial cardioverter or defibrillator comprising:
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means for detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; means for delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium; and synchronization means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse, said synchronization means comprising; means for sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; means for measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; means for deriving an escape interval initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization, based upon measured intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval; and means for delivering a pacing pulse to said patient'"'"'s ventricle on expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval, and wherein said triggering means comprises means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse on expiration of a delay interval following expiration of said escape interval. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. An atrial cardioverter or defibrillator, comprising:
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means for detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; means for delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium; and synchronization means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse, said synchronization means comprising; means for sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; means for measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; means for deriving an escape interval initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization, based upon measured intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; and means for triggering delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval; and wherein said deriving means comprises means for determining whether said derived escape interval is less than a minimum interval, and means for preventing delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse if said derived interval is less than said minimum interval.
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7. A method of atrial cardioversion or defibrillation, comprising:
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detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations to derive an interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate; deriving an escape interval less than said interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate, initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization; and delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval.
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8. A method of atrial cardioversion or defibrillation, comprising:
- detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium;
sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations to derive an interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate; deriving an escape interval less than said interval indicative of intrinsic heart rate, initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization; and delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval.
- detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium;
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10. A method of atrial cardioversion or defibrillation, comprising:
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detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; deriving an escape interval initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization, based upon measured intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; and delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval; and delivering a pacing pulse to said patient'"'"'s ventricle on expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval, and wherein said step of delivering said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse comprises delivering said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse on expiration of a delay interval following expiration of said escape interval. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method of atrial cardioversion or defibrillation, comprising:
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detecting a tachyarrhythmia in a patient'"'"'s atrium; sensing depolarizations of said patient'"'"'s ventricle; measuring intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; deriving an escape interval initiated on a sensed ventricular depolarization, based upon measured intervals between sensed ventricular depolarizations; and delivering a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse to said patient'"'"'s atrium in response to expiration of said escape interval, in the absence of sensed ventricular depolarizations during said escape interval; and wherein said deriving step comprises determining whether said derived escape interval is less than a minimum interval, and further comprising the step of preventing delivery of said cardioversion or defibrillation pulse if said derived interval is less than said minimum interval.
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Specification