Cardiac pacemaker with pacing pulse energy adjustment based on sensed heart rate
First Claim
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1. A cardiac pacemaker that is free from an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) that is configured to provide defibrillation therapy, the cardiac pacemaker comprising:
- one or more sensors for sensing one or more physiological parameters of a patient;
two or more pacing electrodes for delivering pacing pulses to the heart of the patient;
electronics operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the two or more pacing electrodes, the electronics configured to;
determine a heart rate of the patient based at least in part on the one or more physiological parameters sensed by the one or more sensors;
pace the heart of the patient via the two or more pacing electrodes in a manner that attempts to keep the heart rate of the patient from falling below a demand heart rate threshold, wherein;
the pacing pulses are delivered at a capture pacing energy level; and
when the heart rate rises above an upper heart rate threshold, then for a temporary period of time, the pacing pulses are delivered at an enhanced energy level above the capture pacing energy level regardless of whether defibrillation therapy is delivered or not.
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Abstract
Implantable medical devices (IMD) such as a cardiac pacemakers may include a sensor and electrodes. In some cases, the IMD may include electronics to use the sensor to determine the heart rate of a patient'"'"'s heart. The electronics may use the electrodes to deliver pacing pulses to the heart at a first energy level if the heart rate is below a threshold and pace the heart at an enhanced energy level if the heart rate is above the threshold.
1182 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cardiac pacemaker that is free from an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) that is configured to provide defibrillation therapy, the cardiac pacemaker comprising:
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one or more sensors for sensing one or more physiological parameters of a patient; two or more pacing electrodes for delivering pacing pulses to the heart of the patient; electronics operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the two or more pacing electrodes, the electronics configured to; determine a heart rate of the patient based at least in part on the one or more physiological parameters sensed by the one or more sensors; pace the heart of the patient via the two or more pacing electrodes in a manner that attempts to keep the heart rate of the patient from falling below a demand heart rate threshold, wherein; the pacing pulses are delivered at a capture pacing energy level; and when the heart rate rises above an upper heart rate threshold, then for a temporary period of time, the pacing pulses are delivered at an enhanced energy level above the capture pacing energy level regardless of whether defibrillation therapy is delivered or not. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) comprising:
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a housing; a plurality of electrodes for sensing electrical signals emanating from outside of the housing; an energy storage module disposed within the housing; a pulse generator for delivering pacing pulses via two or more of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the pulse generator is capable of changing an energy level of the pacing pulses; a control module disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pulse generator and at least two of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the control module is configured to; receive one or more cardiac signals via two or more of the plurality of electrodes; determine a heart rate based at least in part on the received one or more cardiac signals; instruct the pulse generator to pace the heart with pacing pulses of a capture pacing energy level in a manner that attempts to keep the heart rate from falling below a demand heart rate threshold; determine if the heart rate rises above an upper heart rate threshold; and in response to determining that the heart rate has risen above the upper heart rate threshold, regardless of whether any defibrillation therapy has been or will be initiated by a remote device, instruct the pulse generator to increase the energy level of the pacing pulses to an enhanced energy level for a temporary period of time, and after the temporary period of time, instruct the pulse generator to decrease the energy level of the pacing pulses back to the capture pacing energy level. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for pacing a heart of a patient, the method comprising:
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determining a heart rate of the patient; pacing the heart of the patient in a manner that attempts to keep the heart rate of the patient from falling below a demand heart rate threshold, wherein; the pacing pulses are delivered at a capture pacing energy level; and when the heart rate rises above an upper heart rate threshold, then for a period of time after rising above the upper heart rate threshold and beginning before any defibrillation shocks are delivered to the heart in response to the rising heart rate, delivering pacing pulses at an enhanced energy level above the capture pacing energy level. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification