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Implantable neurostimulator-implemented method for enhancing heart failure patient awakening through vagus nerve stimulation

  • US 8,923,964 B2
  • Filed: 11/09/2012
  • Issued: 12/30/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An implantable neurostimulator-implemented method for aiding awakening-induced tachyarrhythmias through vagus nerve stimulation, comprising the steps of:

  • providing an implantable neurostimulator comprising a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation in a manner that results in creation and propagation in both afferent and efferent directions of action potentials within neuronal fibers of a patient'"'"'s cervical vagus nerve;

    storing an operating mode of the pulse generator in a recordable memory, the storing comprising;

    parametrically defining an enhanced dose of the electrical therapeutic stimulation tuned to prevent initiation of or disrupt tachyarrhythmia, wherein the enhanced dose comprises continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses; and

    parametrically defining a maintenance dose of the electrical therapeutic stimulation tuned to restore cardiac autonomic balance, wherein the maintenance dose comprises continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses delivered at a lower intensity than the enhanced dose; and

    monitoring a patient'"'"'s physiological state to sense a patient'"'"'s awakening from a sleep state via at least one sensor of the implantable neurostimulator, and upon sensing the patient'"'"'s awakening from the sleep state, delivering for a period of time the enhanced dose to the vagus nerve via the pulse generator through helical electrodes electrically coupled to the pulse generator via a nerve stimulation therapy lead.

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