System for enhanced cardiac function with combined PESP/NES

• US 7,289,850 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mulligan, Lawrence J., Burnes, John E., Knoll, Randall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, YUN HAENG NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/116,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36564 controlled by blood pressure

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method of applying stimulation pulse therapy to excitable tissue may include one or more of the following steps: (a) delivering a PESP stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue for a cardiac cycle, (b) delivering a NES stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue during certain cardiac cycles, (c) determining physiologic demand of the patient based on at least one physiologic measurement, (d) determining physiologic demand being placed on a heart based on at least one physiologic measurement, and ceasing the delivery of the NES and PESP stimulation therapy when physiologic demand returns to a base level, and (e) determining physiologic demand being placed on a heart based on at least one physiologic measurement, and modulating the ratio of the number of cardiac cycles in which the NES stimulation therapy is delivered to the number of cardiac cycles in which the PESP stimulation therapy is delivered based on physiologic demand.

Claims

1. A method of applying stimulation pulse therapy to excitable tissue, comprising:

delivering a post extrasystolic potentiation (PESP) stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue for a cardiac cycle;

delivering a non-excitatory stimulation (NES) stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue during certaincardiac cycles wherein the NES stimulation therapy is delivered on N of M cardiac cycles; and

determining physiologic demand of the patient based on at least one physiologic measurement

wherein N is variable and is based on the determined physiologic demand.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein N is decreased as the physiologic demand increases.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein N is increased as the physiologic demand decreases.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein PESP and NES stimulation occur in separate locations on the heart.

5. A method of applying stimulation pulse therapy to excitable tissue, comprising:

delivering a PESP stimulation therapyto the excitable tissue for a cardiac cycle;

delivering a NES stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue during certain cardiac cycles;

determining physiologic demand being placed on a heart based on at least one physiologic measurement, and ceasing the delivery of the NES and PESP stimulation therapy when physiologic demand returns to a base level.

6. A method of applying stimulation pulse therapy to excitable tissue, comprising:

delivering a PESP stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue for a cardiac cycle;

delivering a NES stimulation therapy to the excitable tissue during certain cardiac cycles;

determining physiologic demand being placed on a heart based on at least one physiologic measurement, and modulating the ratio of the number of cardiac cycles in which the NES stimulation therapy is delivered to the number of cardiac cycles in which the PESP stimulation therapy is delivered based on physiologic demand.