Reducing inappropriate delivery of therapy for suspected non-lethal arrhythmias
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- measuring ventricular cycle lengths within a ventricular rhythm;
determining a number of times within a time period that the measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone associated with an arrhythmia;
determining that a number of intervals to detect (NID) threshold for a ventricular arrhythmia is met based on the determined number of times that measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone during the time period;
determining that the ventricular arrhythmia is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia subsequent to the determination that the NID threshold is met; and
changing a ventricular therapy scheduled for the arrhythmia based on the determination that the rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia.
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Abstract
An implantable medical device (IMD) identifies suspected non-lethal ventricular arrhythmia, and takes one or more actions in response to the identification to avoid or delay delivery of a defibrillation or cardioversion shock. The IMD employs number of intervals to detect (NID) thresholds for detection of ventricular arrhythmias. When a NID threshold is met, the IMD determines whether the ventricular rhythm is a suspected non-lethal rhythm despite satisfying a NID threshold. In some embodiments, the IMD increases the NID threshold, i.e., extends the time for detection, in response to identifying a rhythm as a suspected non-lethal rhythm, and monitors subsequent ventricular beats to determine if the increased NID threshold is met before detecting a ventricular arrhythmia and delivering therapy. The IMD can determine whether a rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia by, for example, comparing the median ventricular cycle length (VCL) to the median atrial cycle length (ACL).
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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measuring ventricular cycle lengths within a ventricular rhythm; determining a number of times within a time period that the measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone associated with an arrhythmia; determining that a number of intervals to detect (NID) threshold for a ventricular arrhythmia is met based on the determined number of times that measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone during the time period; determining that the ventricular arrhythmia is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia subsequent to the determination that the NID threshold is met; and changing a ventricular therapy scheduled for the arrhythmia based on the determination that the rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implantable medical device comprising:
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electrodes to detect depolarizations of at least one ventricle of a heart; a processor that receives the detected depolarizations and is configured to measure ventricular cycle lengths within a ventricular rhythm, determine a number of times within a time period that the measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone associated with an arrhythmia, determine that a number of intervals to detect (NID) threshold for a ventricular arrhythmia is met based on the determined number of times that measured ventricular cycle lengths fall within a ventricular cycle length zone during the time period, determine that the ventricular arrhythmia is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia subsequent to the determination that the NID threshold is met and change a ventricular therapy scheduled for the arrhythmia based on the determination that the rhythm is a suspected non-lethal arrhythmia. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification