Method and apparatus for diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias

• US 5,931,857 A
• Filed: 03/24/1998
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Peterson, David Karl Lee, Prieve, Kathleen Alice, Graham, William A. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/046,976
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 607/14, 607/32, 607/5, 607/6, 607/4, 607/9
• US Class Current: 607/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

An implantable anti-arrhythmia device such as a defibrillator or anti-tachycardia pacemaker with an associated patient activator. The arrhythmia detection function is divided between the patient and the implanted device, rather than merely providing patient activation or a patient override. The implantable device is provided with a tachyarrhythmia recognition mechanism, which operates essentially continuously, and which, upon meeting a first set of criteria, will trigger delivery of an anti-arrhythmia therapy such as pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation. The patient is provided with an activator which informs the implanted device that the patient believes that anti-arrhythmia therapy is necessary. In response to receipt of the activation signal, the implanted device defines a time interval thereafter during which a second, less stringent set of arrhythmia detection criteria must be met, in response to which the device will deliver a cardioversion or defibrillation pulse.

Claims

1. An arrhythmia treatment system, comprising an implantable anti-arrhythmia device and an external activator;

the implantable device comprising;

means for defining a first set of arrhythmia detection criteria;

means for monitoring a patients heart rhythm;

means for determining whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the first set of criteria;

means in responsive to a determination that the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the first set of criteria;

for delivering a first anti-arrhythmia therapy

means for defining a second set of arrhythmia detection criteria;

means for receiving a patient activation signal;

means responsive to receipt of a patient activation signal for determining whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the second set of criteria;

means responsive to a determination that the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the second set of criteria, for delivering a second anti-arrhythmia therapy; and

means for transmitting information to the external activator indicative of whether the second therapy is to be delivered in response to the patient activation signal;

the external activator comprising;

a patient operable control;

signal generator means responsive to the patient operable control for transmitting the patient activation signal to the implanted device; and

receiver means for receiving information transmitted from said implantable device indicative of whether the second therapy is to be delivered in response to the patient activation signal; and

indicator means responsive to said receiver means for indicating to the patient whether the second therapy is to be delivered.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the implanted device further comprises means for transmitting information to the external receiver indicative of whether delivery of the second therapy is appropriate.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a first patient perceptible signal if the second therapy is to be delivered.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a second patient perceptible signal, different from the first patient perceptible signal, if the second therapy is not to be delivered.

5. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a first patient perceptible signal if the second therapy is not to be delivered and the second therapy is not appropriate.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a second patient perceptible signal different from the first patient perceptible signal if the therapy is appropriate and the second therapy is to be delivered.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a third patient perceptible signal different from the first and second patient perceptible signals if the second therapy is appropriate and is not to be delivered.

8. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible signals.

9. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating visible signals.

10. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible and visible signals.

11. An arrhythmia treatment system, comprising an implantable anti-arrhythmia device and an external activator;

the implantable device comprising;

means for defining a set of arrhythmia detection criteria;

means for monitoring a patients heart rhythm;

means for determining whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria;

means for receiving a patient activation signal;

means responsive to receipt of a patient activation signal for determining whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria;

means responsive to a determination that the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria, for delivering an anti-arrhythmia therapy; and

means for transmitting information to the external activator indicative of whether the therapy is to be delivered in response to the patient activation signal and indicative of whether delivery of the therapy is appropriate,

the external activator comprising;

a patient operable control;

signal generator means responsive to the patient operable control for transmitting the patient activation signal to the implanted device; and

receiver means for receiving information transmitted from the implantable device indicative of whether the therapy is to be delivered in response to the patient activation signal and indicative of whether delivery of the therapy is appropriate; and

indicator means responsive to the receiver means for indicating to the patient whether the therapy is to be delivered and whether delivery of the therapy is appropriate.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a first patient perceptible signal if the therapy is not to be delivered and the therapy is not appropriate.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said indicator means comprises means for generating a second patient perceptible signal different from said first patient perceptible signal if the therapy is appropriate and the therapy is to be delivered.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a third patient perceptible signal different from the first and second patient perceptible signals if the therapy is appropriate and is not to be delivered.

15. A system according to claim 11 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible signals.

16. A system according to claim 11 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating visible signals.

17. A system according to claim 11 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible and visible signals.

18. An arrhythmia treatment system, comprising an implantable anti-arrhythmia device and an external activator;

the implantable device comprising;

means for defining a set of arrhythmia detection criteria;

means for monitoring a patients heart rhythm;

means for receiving a patient activation signal;

means responsive to receipt of a patient activation signal for determining whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria; and

means for transmitting information to the external activator indicative of whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria;

the external activator comprising;

a patient operable control;

signal generator means responsive to the patient operable control for transmitting the patient activation signal to the implanted device; and

receiver means for receiving information transmitted from the implantable device indicative of whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria; and

indicator means responsive to the receiver means for indicating to the patient whether the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a first patient perceptible signal if the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm meets the set of criteria.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating a second patient perceptible signal different from the first patient perceptible signal if the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm does not meet the set of criteria.

21. A system according to claim 18 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible signals.

22. A system according to claim 18 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating visible signals.

23. A system according to claim 18 wherein the indicator means comprises means for generating audible and visible signals.