Method and apparatus for tissue protection against ischemia using remote conditioning
First Claim
1. A method for operating an implantable medical device to stimulate at least one stimulation site in a body having a heart, the at least one stimulation site remote from the heart, the method comprising:
- detecting an end of a cardiac ischemic event;
producing a cardioprotective stimulation signal in response to a detection of the end of the cardiac ischemic event;
timing a cardioprotective stimulation sequence in response to the cardioprotective stimulation signal, the cardioprotective stimulation sequence including alternating stimulation and non-stimulation periods, the stimulation periods each having a stimulation duration during which one or more non-cardiac stimuli are delivered, the non-stimulation periods each having a non-stimulation duration during which no non-cardiac stimulus is delivered; and
delivering the one or more non-cardiac stimuli from the implantable medical device to the at least one stimulation site remote from the heart during each of the stimulation period, the one or more non-cardiac stimuli creating a physiologic stress at the at least one stimulation site without causing myocardial contraction in the heart, the physiologic stress capable of eliciting a cardioprotective effect that protects the heart from tissue damage caused by cardiac ischemia.
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Abstract
A stimulation system delivers stimulation to protect an ischemic region of a body from tissue damage caused by ischemia. The stimulation is delivered to one or more stimulation sites remote from the ischemic region to elicit a physiological effect that protects the ischemic region from the tissue damage caused by ischemia. In one embodiment, the stimulation system delivers cardioprotective stimulation to one or more stimulation sites remote from the heart to protect the heart from injuries associated with cardiac ischemic events. In another embodiment, the stimulation system delivers remote conditioning stimulation to one or more stimulation sites in or on the heart to protect a non-cardiac region from injuries associated with non-cardiac ischemic events.
200 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating an implantable medical device to stimulate at least one stimulation site in a body having a heart, the at least one stimulation site remote from the heart, the method comprising:
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detecting an end of a cardiac ischemic event; producing a cardioprotective stimulation signal in response to a detection of the end of the cardiac ischemic event; timing a cardioprotective stimulation sequence in response to the cardioprotective stimulation signal, the cardioprotective stimulation sequence including alternating stimulation and non-stimulation periods, the stimulation periods each having a stimulation duration during which one or more non-cardiac stimuli are delivered, the non-stimulation periods each having a non-stimulation duration during which no non-cardiac stimulus is delivered; and delivering the one or more non-cardiac stimuli from the implantable medical device to the at least one stimulation site remote from the heart during each of the stimulation period, the one or more non-cardiac stimuli creating a physiologic stress at the at least one stimulation site without causing myocardial contraction in the heart, the physiologic stress capable of eliciting a cardioprotective effect that protects the heart from tissue damage caused by cardiac ischemia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification