Method and apparatus for temporarily electrically forcing cardiac output in a tachyarrhythmia patient
First Claim
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1. A method for electrically forcing cardiac output during tachyarrhythmia in a patient, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of electrodes in communicative contact with the patient'"'"'s heart;
(b) detecting the presence of tachyarrhythmia in the patient via said electrodes; and
(c) delivering electrical current pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart, via said electrodes after detecting tachyarrhythmia, at a rate between 60 and 200 pulses per minute, said electrical current pulses having a strength between 25 and 200 volts, and greater than 250 mA and directly forcing contraction in the patient'"'"'s heart, whereby a minimum level of cardiac output sufficient to maintain life is provided by said electrical current pulses.
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Abstract
An electrical method and apparatus for stimulating cardiac cells causing contraction to force hemodynamic output during fibrillation, hemodynamically compromising tachycardia, or asystole. High level electrical fields are applied to the heart to give cardiac output on an emergency basis until the arrhythmia ceases or other intervention takes place. The device is used as a stand alone external or internal device, or as a backup to an ICD, atrial defibrillator, or an anti-tachycardia pacemaker. The method and apparatus maintain some cardiac output and not necessarily defibrillation.
41 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for electrically forcing cardiac output during tachyarrhythmia in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a plurality of electrodes in communicative contact with the patient'"'"'s heart; (b) detecting the presence of tachyarrhythmia in the patient via said electrodes; and (c) delivering electrical current pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart, via said electrodes after detecting tachyarrhythmia, at a rate between 60 and 200 pulses per minute, said electrical current pulses having a strength between 25 and 200 volts, and greater than 250 mA and directly forcing contraction in the patient'"'"'s heart, whereby a minimum level of cardiac output sufficient to maintain life is provided by said electrical current pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A device, for implantation in the human body, for maintaining cardiac output of a patient'"'"'s heart during tachyarrhythmia using electrical forcing fields, comprising:
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(a) battery power supply means; (b) arrhythmia detection means connected to said battery power supply means; (c) means to communicatively connect said battery power supply means and said arrhythmia detection means to the patient'"'"'s heart; and (d) output control means connected to said arrhythmia detection means and to said battery power supply means, and to said means to communicatively connect for delivering multiple electrical current pulses to the human heart after the detection of tachyarrhythmia, said electrical current pulses having a voltage between 25 and 200 volts, and greater than 250 mA, whereby contraction in the patient'"'"'s heart is directly forced and a minimum level of cardiac output sufficient to maintain life is provided by said electrical current pulses. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A device, having a portion designed for implantation in the human body, for maintaining cardiac:
- output of a patient'"'"'s heart during tachyarrhythmia using electrical forcing fields, comprising;
(a) battery power supply means; (b) arrhythmia detection means connected to said battery power supply means; (c) means to communicatively connect said battery power supply means and said arrhythmia detection means to the patient'"'"'s heart; and (d) output control means connected to said arrhythmia detection means and to said battery power supply means, and to said means to communicatively connect for delivering multiple electrical current pulses to the human heart after the detection of tachyarrhythmia, said electrical current pulses having a voltage between about 25 and about 200 volts, and greater than about 250 mA, whereby contraction in the patient'"'"'s heart is directly forced for at least about 30 minutes and a minimum level of cardiac output sufficient to maintain life is provided by said electrical current pulses. - View Dependent Claims (18)
- output of a patient'"'"'s heart during tachyarrhythmia using electrical forcing fields, comprising;
Specification