System and method for providing improved atrial pacing based on physiological need

• US 8,565,873 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sheldon, Todd J., Betzold, Robert A., Sweeney, Michael O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHAND, JENNIFER LEIGH-STEWAR
• Application Number:
  US12/726,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20100174334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence

Abstract

An implantable medical device operates according to a ventricular pacing protocol (VPP) that precludes ventricular pacing in any cardiac cycle where a sensed ventricular event has occurred in the preceding cycle. The implantable medical device facilitates improved ventricular sensing, detection and classification.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an implantable cardiac pacing system configured to selectively provide atrial and ventricular pacing;

a processor operably configured to control the cardiac pacing system according to the parameters of a selected mode;

a ventricular pacing protocol (VPP) module configured to provide a mode to the processor according to the parameters of the VPP wherein ventricular pacing is precluded in a given cardiac cycle wherein a ventricular event was sensed in an immediately prior cardiac cycle;

a rate response module configured to select an atrial pacing rate between an upper rate limit and a lower rate limit based upon a sensor-indicated rate defined by one or more sensed physiological parameters; and

an atrial pacing evaluation module configured to selectively compare the atrial pacing rate to an intrinsic rate and rely upon the intrinsic rate if a first condition is met wherein the first condition includes the intrinsic rate being lower than the atrial pacing rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein relying upon the intrinsic rate includes precluding atrial pacing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first condition is that the intrinsic rate differs from the atrial pacing rate by less than a first conditional value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first conditional value is a percentage of the atrial pacing rate.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first conditional value is a difference in beats per minute.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein atrial pacing is provided at the atrial pacing rate if the first condition is not met.