Rate-adaptive therapy with automatic limiting of maximum pacing rate
First Claim
1. A method for operating a rate-adaptive pacemaker wherein measured exertion levels in a patient are mapped to a sensor indicated rate by a rate response curve, comprising:
- automatically determining the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity as defined by a long-term maximum exertion level by collecting maximum measured exertion levels over a specified period of time;
wherein the rate response curve is defined such that an exertion level corresponding to the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity would be mapped to a physiologically favorable maximum rate, MAR;
limiting the sensor indicated rate to a specified maximum sensor indicated rate MSR that is independent from the MAR; and
, increasing the MSR after a specified time period during which the long-term maximum exertion level is updated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically adjusting the operating parameters of a rate-adaptive cardiac pacemaker in which maximum exertion levels attained by the patient are measured at periodic intervals and stored. The stored maximum exertion levels may then be used to update a long-term maximal exertion level, and the slope of the rate-response curve is adjusted to map the updated long-term maximal exertion level to a maximum allowable pacing rate. In accordance with the invention, the rate response curve is defined such that an exertion level corresponding to the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity would be mapped to a physiologically favorable maximum rate that is independent from a specified maximum sensor indicated rate.
76 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for operating a rate-adaptive pacemaker wherein measured exertion levels in a patient are mapped to a sensor indicated rate by a rate response curve, comprising:
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automatically determining the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity as defined by a long-term maximum exertion level by collecting maximum measured exertion levels over a specified period of time;
wherein the rate response curve is defined such that an exertion level corresponding to the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity would be mapped to a physiologically favorable maximum rate, MAR;
limiting the sensor indicated rate to a specified maximum sensor indicated rate MSR that is independent from the MAR; and
,increasing the MSR after a specified time period during which the long-term maximum exertion level is updated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 25)
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15. A system for operating a rate-adaptive pacemaker wherein measured exertion levels in a patient are mapped to a sensor indicated rate by a rate response curve, comprising:
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means for automatically determining the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity as defined by a long-term maximum exertion level by collecting maximum measured exertion levels over a specified period of time, wherein the rate response curve is defined such that an exertion level corresponding to the patient'"'"'s maximum exercise capacity would be mapped to a physiologically favorable maximum rate, MAR;
means for limiting the rate mapped by the rate response curve to a specified maximum sensor indicated rate MSR that is independent from the MAR; and
,means for increasing the MSR after a specified time period during which the long-term maximum exertion level is updated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification