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Pacemaker system and method with improved capture detection and threshold search

  • US 5,741,312 A
  • Filed: 03/12/1997
  • Issued: 04/21/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A pacemaker system for pacing a patient, having stimulus means for generating and delivering stimulus pulses to said patient, ER means for sensing when a delivered stimulus pulse has evoked a response, and threshold means for determining a measure of pacing threshold to delivered stimulus pulses, said threshold means comprising:

  • pulse pair means for controlling said stimulus means to cyclically generate and deliver pairs of stimulus pulses, the first pulse of each said pair being variable in output and the second pulse of said pulse pairs being a regular pacing pulse at an output level above the pacing threshold;

    stabilization means for determining when said pulse pairs have been delivered for at least a predetermined stabilization period;

    detection means operable at the end of said stabilization period for detecting which pulse of a said pulse pair delivered after said stabilization period evoked a heart response;

    repeat means operable following a detection that said regular pulse evoked a cardiac response, for incrementing said first pulse output and for enabling said stabilization means to determine when stimulus pulse pairs with an incremental first pulse output have been delivered for a stabilization period following said incrementing;

    threshold measuring means for determining when said incremented first pulse results in an evoked response, and for then storing the first pulse output value as said measure of pacing threshold; and

    setting the output value of said stimulus pulses as a function of said measure of threshold.

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