Atrial arrythmia sensor with drug and electrical therapy control apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for controlling atrial fibrillation using antitachycardia pacing and drug injection into the heart of a patient to control atrial fibrillation comprising the steps of:
- monitoring the atrial rate of a patient'"'"'s heart;
comparing the atrial rate to a threshold value to detect atrial fibrillation;
implementing anti-tachycardia pacing when the threshold atrial rate is exceeded; and
implementing a drug delivery regimen if said anti-tachycardia pacing is unable to control the atrial fibrillation.
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Abstract
An atrial arrythmia sensor and drug dispensing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a multiphase, multistage intelligent system to monitor and treat atrial fibrillation. The apparatus includes atrial rate sensing means, cardiac pacing and antitachycardia pacing means, drug delivery means including a self-cleaning catheter line with multi-drug dispensing capability preferably operated using a dual pump arrangement and an iontophoretic device. The drug delivery system may also include a porous catheter to discharge drug into the atrium. The intelligent system includes a memory implemented logic (software) to continuously monitor the atrial rate and initiate a response of either cardiac pacing, antitachycardia pacing or drug dispensing based on preset cardiac activity parameters. The system also includes a medical history recording feature.
197 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for controlling atrial fibrillation using antitachycardia pacing and drug injection into the heart of a patient to control atrial fibrillation comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the atrial rate of a patient'"'"'s heart; comparing the atrial rate to a threshold value to detect atrial fibrillation; implementing anti-tachycardia pacing when the threshold atrial rate is exceeded; and implementing a drug delivery regimen if said anti-tachycardia pacing is unable to control the atrial fibrillation. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An atrial arrythmia sensing, therapy control and management apparatus having a memory implemented logic sequence in which operations of the apparatus in performing the desired functions include a set of instructions formed into each of a series of operational commands to be performed, the apparatus-implemented process comprising:
an initial atrial rate-regulating process that continuously regulates an atrial rate of a patient'"'"'s heart, the initial atrial rate-regulating process comprising; continuous monitoring of the atrial rate; determining if the monitored atrial rate is less than 60 BPM; if the atrial rate is less than 60 BPM, implementing a first-type pacing process to increase said atrial rate to 60 BPM; determining if the monitored atrial rate is greater than 60 BPM; if the monitored atrial rate is greater than 60 BPM, ending the first-type pacing process; determining if the monitored atrial rate is greater than 180 BPM; if the atrial rate is greater than 180 BPM, implementing a second-type pacing process using anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to decrease the atrial rate to less than 180 BPM; determining if the monitored atrial rate is less than 180 BPM; if the monitored atrial rate is less than 180 BPM, ending the implementation of the second-type pacing process; a second atrial rate-regulating process that implements a third-type pacing process to maintain the atrial rate at less than 180 BPM if the second-type pacing process fails to maintain the atrial rate under 180 BPM, the second atrial rate-regulating process comprising; monitoring the second-type pacing process and comparing the second-type pacing process duration to a second-type pacing process threshold value; if the second-type pacing process duration exceeds the second-type pacing process threshold value, injecting an amount of drug from a drug delivery system; a therapy data management and comparison process in which the injections are monitored and timed so that drug injection dosages may be adjusted and so that a reversion to the initial atrial rate-regulating process is initiated if five injections are administered within 24 hours of the most recent initiation of the second atrial rate-regulating process; determining if the monitored atrial rate is less than 180 BPM; and if the monitored atrial rate is less than 180 BPM, ending the implementation of the third-type pacing process and reverting to the initial atrial rate-regulating process. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
Specification