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Method and apparatus for detecting a state of imminent cardiac arrhythmia in response to a nerve signal from the autonomic nerve system to the heart, and for administrating anti-arrhythmia therapy in response thereto

  • US 5,658,318 A
  • Filed: 09/28/1995
  • Issued: 08/19/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for detecting a condition indicative of imminent cardiac arrhythmia of a heart of a subject and for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy in response thereto, comprising:

  • sensor means, placeable in an extracardiac position in said subject for directly sensing nerve signals conveying information from at least one member of the autonomic nerve system, of the group consisting of the sympathetic and vagus nerves of said subject, to said heart of said subject, said sensor means generating a single sensor signal corresponding to the sensed nerve signals;

    a comparator supplied with said single sensor signal and having a threshold value defining a condition indicative of an arrhythmia and said comparator emitting an output signal indicating a state of imminent arrhythmia dependent on a relation between said single sensor signal and said threshold value; and

    means for administering anti-arrhythmia therapy to said subject upon emission of said output signal indicating said state of imminent arrhythmia.

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