System for delivering atrial defibrillation shocks
First Claim
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1. A system for providing a defibrillation shock to the atria of the heart of a patient, comprising:
- one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;
(a) to determine a first R--R interval between a first ventricular activation and an immediately successive second ventricular activation, and a second R--R interval between the second ventricular activation and an immediately successive third ventricular activation;
(b) to determine a minimum safe shock interval by adding together the first R--R interval length and a predetermined minimum R--R deceleration value within a range of about 30-250 msec.; and
(c) to cause the discharge of a defibrillation shock to the atria synchronized to the third ventricular activation when the second R--R interval length is greater than or equal to the minimum safe shock interval.
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Abstract
A system for use in conjunction with an implantable automatic atrial defibrillation system is provided for delivering a defibrillation shock to the atria of a patient without inducing ventricular fibrillation, and a method of using the system. The system provides delivery of an atrial defibrillation shock synchronized only to beats during heart rate deceleration. With the present system, an atrial defibrillation shock is delivered after the passage of a minimum safe shock interval that is based upon a preset, predetermined minimum R--R deceleration interval length within a range of about 30-250 milliseconds.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A system for providing a defibrillation shock to the atria of the heart of a patient, comprising:
- one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;
(a) to determine a first R--R interval between a first ventricular activation and an immediately successive second ventricular activation, and a second R--R interval between the second ventricular activation and an immediately successive third ventricular activation; (b) to determine a minimum safe shock interval by adding together the first R--R interval length and a predetermined minimum R--R deceleration value within a range of about 30-250 msec.; and (c) to cause the discharge of a defibrillation shock to the atria synchronized to the third ventricular activation when the second R--R interval length is greater than or equal to the minimum safe shock interval. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 8)
- one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;
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2. A system for providing a defibrillation shock to the atria of the heart of a patient;
- comprising one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;
(a) to determine an R--R interval between a first ventricular activation and an immediately successive second ventricular activation; (b) to determine a minimum safe shock interval by adding together the R--R interval length and a predetermined minimum R--R deceleration value within a range of about 30-250 msec; and (c) to cause the discharge of a defibrillation shock to the atria after an interval beginning with the onset of the second ventricular activation and ending at or after a period of time equal in duration to the minimum safe shock interval. - View Dependent Claims (6, 9)
- comprising one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;
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3. A system for providing a defibrillation shock to the atria of the heart of a patient adapted to be used in conjunction with a defibrillator synchronized to a paced beat;
- comprising;
one or more processing elements programmed to respond to a signal from a fibrillation detector and an R-wave detector, and;(a) to determine an R--R interval between a first ventricular activation and an immediately successive second ventricular activation; (b) to determine a minimum safe shock interval by adding together the R--R interval length and a predetermined minimum R--R deceleration value within a range of about 30-250 msec; (c) to cause the discharge of a ventricular pacing impulse to the ventricle after an interval beginning with the onset of the second ventricular activation and ending at or after a period of time equal in duration to the minimum safe shock interval; (d) to determine a time interval for discharge of an atrial defibrillation shock after the discharge of the ventricular pacing impulse and prior to the vulnerable period of the paced beat; and (e) to cause the discharge of a defibrillation shock to the atria after the time interval of step (d). - View Dependent Claims (7, 10)
- comprising;
Specification