Pacemaker with vasovagal syncope detection and therapy
First Claim
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1. A cardiac pacer comprising:
- means for detecting depolarizations of a heart and generating signals therefrom;
means for determining an intrinsic heart rate connected to receive said signals from such detected depolarization;
pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate;
means for defining first and second threshold heart rates;
drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said first threshold heart rate to a rate below said second threshold heart rate.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for cardiac pacing, in which pacing pulses are provided at an increased rate in response to a detected rapid drop in heart rate. A rapid drop is detected in response to heart rate falling from a persistent rate above a first threshold rate to a stable rate below a second threshold rate. If spontaneous depolarizations are detected while pacing at the increased rate, pacing at the increased rate is terminated.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting depolarizations of a heart and generating signals therefrom; means for determining an intrinsic heart rate connected to receive said signals from such detected depolarization; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; means for defining first and second threshold heart rates; drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said first threshold heart rate to a rate below said second threshold heart rate. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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2. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting depolarizations of a heart; means for determining an intrinsic heart rate from such detected depolarization; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; means for defining first and second threshold heart rates; drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said first threshold heart rate to an rate below said second threshold heart rate and comprising means for detecting a persistent heart depolarization rate above said first threshold heart rate and means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from said persistent heart rate above said first threshold heart rate to a rate below said second threshold heart rate. means responsive to said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate for causing said pulse generator means to deliver pacing pulses at a second pacing rate higher than said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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6. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting heart depolarizations and for generating signals therefrom; means for determining an intrinsic heart rate connected to receive said signals from such detected depolarizations; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; means for defining a threshold heart rate; drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said threshold heart rate.
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7. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting heart depolizations; means for determining an intrinsic heart rate from such detected depolarizations; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; means for defining a threshold heart rate; drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said threshold heart rate comprising means for detecting a persistent heart depolarization rate above said threshold heart rate and means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from said persistent heart depolarization rate above said threshold heart rate; means responsive to a said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate for causing said pulse generator means to deliver pacing pulses at a second pacing rate higher than said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting heart depolarizations; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; means for defining a threshold heart rate; means for detecting a rapid rate drop comprising;
means for detecting a stable heart depolarization rate below said threshold heart rate, and means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate to a stable rate below said threshold heart rate, said means for detecting a stable heart depolarization rate below said threshold heart rate comprising means for detecting a predetermined proportion of heart depolarizations having rates less than said threshold rate to heart depolarizations having a rate greater than said threshold rate; andmeans for causing said pulse generating means to deliver pacing pulses at a second pacing rate, higher than said first pacing rate, responsive to a said detected rapid rate drop.
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10. A cardiac pacer comprising:
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means for detecting heart depolarizations; pulse generating means for delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; drop detecting means for detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate; means responsive to a said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate for causing said pulse generator means to deliver pacing pulses at a second pacing rate instead of and higher than said first pacing rate; means responsive to detected heart depolarizations while said pulse generating means is delivering pacing pulses at said second pacing rate, for causing said pulse generating means to generate pulses at said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of cardiac pacing;
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detecting depolarizations of a heart delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; defining first and second threshold heart rates; detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said first threshold heart rate to a rate below said second threshold heart rate based on said detected heart depolarizations; and responsive to a said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate delivering pacing pulses at a second pacing rate higher than said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of cardiac pacing, compromising:
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detecting heart depolarizations; delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; defining a threshold heart rate; detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate from a rate above said threshold heart rate based on said detected heart depolarizations; and responsive to said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate, delivering pacing pulses at a second pacing rate higher than said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of cardiac pacing, comprising:
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detecting heart depolarizations; delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; defining a threshold heart rate; detecting a stable heart depolarization rate below said threshold heart rate in response to detecting a predetermined proportion of heart depolarizations having rates less than said threshold rate to heart depolarizations having a rate greater than said threshold rate; detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate to a stable rate below said threshold heart rate; and in response to detecting a said rapid drop, delivering pacing pulses at a second pacing rate higher than said first pacing rate.
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23. A method of cardiac pacing, compromising:
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detecting heart depolarizations; delivering cardiac pacing pulses at a first pacing rate; detecting a rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate; responsive to said detected rapid drop in spontaneous heart depolarization rate, delivering pacing pulses at a second pacing rate instead of and higher than said first pacing rate; responsive to detected heart depolarizations while delivering pacing pulses at said second pacing rate, delivering pacing pulses at said first pacing rate. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification