Method and apparatus for detecting amplitude loss in cardiac pacing pulses
First Claim
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1. An implantable cardiac stimulation apparatus comprising:
- an implantable outer casing containinga battery;
a pulse generator connected to said battery for producing pacing pulses, said pulse generator comprising a tank capacitor charged from said battery and a switch connected to said tank capacitor for controlling delivery of said pacing pulses;
means for producing a reference voltage;
a comparator, connected to said tank capacitor and said means for producing a reference voltage, said comparator comparing the voltage amplitude of said pacing pulses with said reference voltage; and
a detector for indicating the state of said comparator at a selected time;
a circuit coupled to said switch for enabling said detector as said switch is closed; and
means for altering production of said pacing pulses by said pulse generator in response to said detector.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting loss of cardiac pacing pulse amplitude includes a comparator for comparing the actual pulse voltage to a reference voltage. In one advantageous embodiment, the reference voltage is determined as a percentage of the programmed pulse amplitude. The comparison of the reference voltage and the actual voltage is latched at the time when a pulse is actually created to produce a signal indicative of whether the amplitude of the actual pulse exceeds the reference. When the amplitude falls below the reference, the system may take corrective action.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An implantable cardiac stimulation apparatus comprising:
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an implantable outer casing containing a battery; a pulse generator connected to said battery for producing pacing pulses, said pulse generator comprising a tank capacitor charged from said battery and a switch connected to said tank capacitor for controlling delivery of said pacing pulses; means for producing a reference voltage; a comparator, connected to said tank capacitor and said means for producing a reference voltage, said comparator comparing the voltage amplitude of said pacing pulses with said reference voltage; and a detector for indicating the state of said comparator at a selected time; a circuit coupled to said switch for enabling said detector as said switch is closed; and means for altering production of said pacing pulses by said pulse generator in response to said detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10)
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6. A method for stimulating a patient'"'"'s heart comprising the steps of:
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producing a train of pacing pulses by charging a tank capacitor from a battery and discharging said capacitor across a switch into the patient'"'"'s heart; detecting the amplitude of said pacing pulses as said switch is closed; and producing a signal indicative of whether the amplitude of said pacing pulses corresponds to a desired pacing pulse amplitude; and altering said train of pacing pulses in response to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 11)
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Specification