Detecting heart tones to identify heart deterioration
First Claim
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
- an accelerometer to detect heart tones associated with blood flow through a cardiac valve; and
a heart tone unit to measure durations of the detected heart tones.
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Abstract
The invention is directed to an implantable medical device (IMD) that includes an accelerometer. The accelerometer is used to detect heart tones associated with blood flow through one or more cardiac valves. In particular, the IMD measures durations of the heart tones detected by the accelerometer, and uses the measured durations to identify deterioration of the heart. In this manner, the IMD facilitates early detection of cardiac deterioration so that proper therapy can be delivered to the patient to remedy and combat such deterioration.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
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an accelerometer to detect heart tones associated with blood flow through a cardiac valve; and
a heart tone unit to measure durations of the detected heart tones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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measuring durations of heart tones associated with blood flow through a cardiac valve of a heart using an accelerometer of an implantable medical device; and
identifying a change in the measured durations of the heart tones. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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an implantable medical device programmer; and
an implantable medical device that telemetrically communicates with the programmer including;
an accelerometer to detect heart tones associated with blood flow through a cardiac valve;
a heart tone unit to identify an increase in durations of the heart tones relative to a threshold duration;
a memory coupled to the heart tone unit, wherein the heart tone unit stores a value in the memory to indicate the increase in the durations of the heart tones relative to the threshold duration; and
a telemetry unit to telemetrically communicate information relating to the durations of the heart tones to the programmer when the value is stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An apparatus comprising:
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an accelerometer for measuring durations of heart tones associated with blood flow through a cardiac valve of a heart; and
means for identifying a change in the measured durations of the heart tones. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification