Cardiac stimulation device including sleep apnea prevention and treatment
First Claim
1. An implantable cardiac stimulation device for stimulating a heart of a patient, the device comprising:
- at least one physiologic sensor that is capable of sensing at least one of a characteristic of cardiac conductivity, cardiac contractility or stroke volume and generating corresponding sensor output signals;
one or more pulse generators that are capable of generating cardiac pacing pulses; and
circuitry coupled to the at least one sensor and that is operative to detect a rest condition of the patient based on the sensor output signals and to control the one or more pulse generators to pace the heart at a rest rate, wherein the rest rate is initially set to a first value, wherein the circuitry is further operative to adjust the rest rate to a sleep apnea prevention value based on the signals, wherein the sleep apnea prevention value is higher than the first value.
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Abstract
An implantable cardiac stimulation device comprises a physiologic sensor and one or more pulse generators. The physiologic sensor is capable of sensing a physiologic parameter. The pulse generators can generate cardiac pacing pulses with a timing based on the physiologic parameter. The timed cardiac pacing pulses can prevent a sleep apnea condition. In one example, a cardiac stimulation device has a physiologic sensor and can be configured to pace a patient'"'"'s heart according to a rest mode of operation. The cardiac stimulation device uses measurements from the physiologic sensor to prevent and treat sleep apnea using a revised rest mode of operation. The revised rest mode operates under a presumption that sleep apnea is primary to a reduced heart rate, rather than secondary, so that pacing at a rate higher than the natural cardiac rate during sleep will prevent sleep apnea.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An implantable cardiac stimulation device for stimulating a heart of a patient, the device comprising:
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at least one physiologic sensor that is capable of sensing at least one of a characteristic of cardiac conductivity, cardiac contractility or stroke volume and generating corresponding sensor output signals; one or more pulse generators that are capable of generating cardiac pacing pulses; and circuitry coupled to the at least one sensor and that is operative to detect a rest condition of the patient based on the sensor output signals and to control the one or more pulse generators to pace the heart at a rest rate, wherein the rest rate is initially set to a first value, wherein the circuitry is further operative to adjust the rest rate to a sleep apnea prevention value based on the signals, wherein the sleep apnea prevention value is higher than the first value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An implantable cardiac stimulation device comprising:
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means for setting a rest rate to a first value for a patient; means for measuring at least one of a characteristic cardiac contractility, cardiac conductivity or stroke volume and for generating corresponding signals; and means for adjusting the rest rate to a sleep apnea prevention value as a function of the corresponding signals from the measuring means, wherein the sleep apnea prevention value is higher than the first value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of operating an implantable cardiac stimulation device, the method comprising:
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setting a rest rate to a first value for a patient; measuring at least one of a characteristic of cardiac contractility, cardiac conductivity or stroke volume and for generating corresponding sensor output signals; and adjusting the rest rate to a sleep apnea prevention value as a function of the sensor output signals, where the sleep apnea prevention value is higher than the first value. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification