Methods and systems for reducing the likelihood of arrhythmia onset

• US 7,181,277 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Kroll, Mark W., Shelchuk, Anne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto; Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Natasha
• Application Number:
  US10/386,729
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9, 607/4, 607/14, 607/59, 607/2, 607/15, 607/25, 600/515, 600/518
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to providing systems and methods that can reduce the likelihood of arrhythmia onset by effecting a treatment, responsive to a detected premature event, that mimics or otherwise attempts to emulate a healthy heart'"'"'s natural recovery process. In one particular embodiment, the premature event comprises a premature ventricular contraction or “PVC”, and the treatment comprises pacing the patient to mimic or otherwise emulate a turbulence pattern that is typically exhibited by a healthy heart when the heart attempts to recover from the PVC.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a patient for a premature event associated with a patient'"'"'s heart;

detecting a premature event; and

responsive to detecting the premature event, administering pacing therapy including a period of accelerated pacing faster than the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate followed by a period of decelerated pacing including pacing slower than the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring for a premature atrial event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring for a premature atrial event in the form of a premature atrial contraction (PAC).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring for a premature ventricular event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring comprises monitoring for a premature ventricular event in the form of a premature ventricular contraction (PVC).

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising prior to the period of accelerated pacing, calculating an accelerated pacing rate based upon the patient'"'"'s past history.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein pacing the patient at an accelerated pacing rate comprises pacing the patient at a rate that is not a function of a past history of the patient.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising prior to the period of decelerated pacing, calculating a decelerated pacing rate based upon the patient'"'"'s past history.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of pacing the patient at a decelerated pacing rate comprises pacing the patient at a rate that is not a function of a past history of the patient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein pacing the patient at a decelerated pacing rate comprises pacing at multiple different rates, each of which are slower than the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein administering pacing further includes pacing the patient at a transition pacing rate between the accelerated pacing rate and at least one of the multiple different decelerated pacing rates.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of decelerated pacing further includes pacing at or near the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein administering pacing therapy further includes a period of transition pacing at rates between the acceleration period and the deceleration period.

14. A stimulation device comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

instructions in the memory which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

monitor a patient for a premature event associated with a patient'"'"'s heart;

detect a premature event; and

responsive to detecting the premature event, administer pacing therapy including a period of accelerated pacing faster than the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate followed by a period of decelerated pacing including pacing slower than the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate.

15. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to monitor for a premature atrial event.

16. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to monitor for a premature atrial event in the form of a premature atrial contraction (PAC).

17. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to monitor for a premature ventricular event.

18. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to monitor for a premature ventricular event in the form of a premature ventricular contraction (PVC).

19. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the period of decelerated pacing further includes pacing at or near the patient'"'"'s intrinsic heart rate.

20. The stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the pacing therapy further includes a period of transition pacing at rates between the acceleration period and the deceleration period.