Implantable cardiac device providing intrinsic conduction search with premature atrial contraction protection and method

• US 7,430,448 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Levine, Paul A., Zimmer, Jeff, Crawford, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gedeon; Brian T
• Application Number:
  US11/219,063
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 607/18, 607/9, 600/508
• US Class Current: 607/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3624 occurring in the atrium, i.e. atrial tachycardia

Abstract

The extended AV interval of an auto intrinsic conduction search of an implantable cardiac stimulation device has premature atrial contraction protection. A timer times a base AV interval and the extended AV interval. If the heart is paced with the extended AV interval and a premature atrial contraction is detected, the extended AV interval is maintained. Once a predetermined number of consecutive premature atrial contractions are detected, the extended AV interval is reset to the base AV interval.

Claims

1. In an implantable cardiac stimulation device, a method comprising:

providing pacing pulses on demand to a heart chamber upon time-out of an inhibit interval;

providing a timer that times a base inhibit interval and an extended inhibit interval;

causing the timer to time the extended inhibit interval;

detecting a cardiac rate above a given rate;

causing the timer to time the base inhibit interval upon detecting a cardiac rate above the given rate;

detecting premature contractions of the heart; and

causing the timer to time the extended inhibit interval upon detection of a premature contraction notwithstanding detection of a cardiac rate above the given rate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the last recited causing is repeated for a predetermined number of consecutive cardiac cycles in which premature contractions are detected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein causing the timer to time the base inhibit interval is performed upon time-out of the extended inhibit interval.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting premature contractions comprises detecting premature atrial contractions and wherein detecting a cardiac rate comprises detecting an atrial rate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing pacing pulses comprises providing pacing pulses to a ventricle and wherein the inhibit interval is an AV interval.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the last recited causing further comprises first causing the timer to time the base inhibit interval for a current cardiac cycle before causing the timing of the extended inhibit interval.