Pacing therapy for extending atrial refractory period
First Claim
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1. A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
- an atrial sensing channel for sensing atrial electrical activity;
an atrial pacing channel for delivering atrial pacing pulses;
a shock pulse generator for delivering atrial defibrillation shocks;
a controller programmed with executable instructions for performing functions which include;
detecting atrial fibrillation;
delivering an atrial defibrillation shock after atrial fibrillation is detected;
delivering atrial pacing pulses in accordance with a pacing mode for a specified period of time following an atrial defibrillation shock in which atrial pacing pulses are delivered upon expiration of an atrial escape interval that is dynamically adjusted by decreasing the escape interval when an atrial sense is detected and increasing the escape interval after each paced beat; and
,delivering one or more non-excitatory stimulation pulses to an atrium during an atrial refractory period after an atrial pacing pulse.
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Abstract
A device and method are presented for prolonging the atrial effective refractory period with pacing therapy. Such refractory period prolongation renders the atrial tissue less susceptible to the onset of atrial fibrillation. A particularly useful application is during the period after application of electrical therapy to the atria.to terminate an episode of atrial fibrillation.
11 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
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an atrial sensing channel for sensing atrial electrical activity; an atrial pacing channel for delivering atrial pacing pulses; a shock pulse generator for delivering atrial defibrillation shocks; a controller programmed with executable instructions for performing functions which include; detecting atrial fibrillation; delivering an atrial defibrillation shock after atrial fibrillation is detected; delivering atrial pacing pulses in accordance with a pacing mode for a specified period of time following an atrial defibrillation shock in which atrial pacing pulses are delivered upon expiration of an atrial escape interval that is dynamically adjusted by decreasing the escape interval when an atrial sense is detected and increasing the escape interval after each paced beat; and
,delivering one or more non-excitatory stimulation pulses to an atrium during an atrial refractory period after an atrial pacing pulse. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:
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sensing atrial electrical activity in order to detect atrial fibrillation; delivering an atrial defibrillation shock upon detection of atrial fibrillation; delivering atrial pacing pulses to an atrial pacing site in accordance with a pacing mode for a specified period of time following an atrial defibrillation shock in which atrial pacing pulses are delivered upon expiration of an atrial escape interval that is dynamically adjusted by decreasing the escape interval when an atrial sense is detected and increasing the escape interval after each paced beat; and
,delivering one or more non-excitatory stimulation pulses to an atrial stimulation site during the atrial refractory period after an atrial pacing pulse. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A cardiac rhythm management device, comprising:
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means for sensing atrial electrical activity in order to detect atrial fibrillation; means for delivering an atrial defibrillation shock upon detection of atrial fibrillation; means for delivering atrial pacing pulses to an atrial pacing site in accordance with a pacing mode for a specified period of time following an atrial defibrillation shock in which atrial pacing pulses are delivered upon expiration of an atrial escape interval that is dynamically adjusted by decreasing the escape interval when an atrial sense is detected and increasing the escape interval after each paced beat; and
,means for delivering one or more non-excitatory stimulation pulses to an atrial stimulation site during the atrial refractory period after each atrial pacing pulse during the specified period of time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification