Methods And Systems For Lowering Blood Pressure Through Reduction Of Ventricle Filling
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for reducing ventricle filling volume are disclosed. In some embodiments, a stimulation circuit may be used to stimulate a patient'"'"'s heart to reduce ventricle filling volume or even blood pressure. When the heart is stimulated at a consistent rate to reduce blood pressure, the cardiovascular system may over time adapt to the stimulation and revert back to the higher blood pressure. In some embodiments, the stimulation pattern may be configured to be inconsistent such that the adaptation response of the heart is reduced or even prevented. In some embodiments, a stimulation circuit may be used to stimulate a patient'"'"'s heart to cause at least a portion of an atrial contraction to occur while the atrioventricular valve is closed. Such an atrial contraction may deposit less blood into the corresponding ventricle than when the atrioventricular valve is opened throughout an atrial contraction.
16 Citations
153 Claims
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1-45. -45. (canceled)
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46. A method, carried out with an implanted heart muscle stimulator associated with a heart of a patient, for treating a blood pressure disorder in the patient, the patient having a pretreatment blood pressure, the method comprising:
stimulating the heart to cause an atrium thereof to contract while a heart valve associated with the atrium is closed such that the atrial contraction distends the atrium, and the distending atrium results in reducing the patient'"'"'s blood pressure from the pretreatment blood pressure, by causing the atrium to contract at a time when pressure in a ventricle of the heart is about maximal so that active force of the atrial contraction increases atrial stretch above maximal passive atrial stretch caused by contraction of the ventricle. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137)
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47-124. -124. (canceled)
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138. A device for treating a blood pressure disorder in a patient, the patient having a pretreatment blood pressure, the device comprising:
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a stimulation circuit configured to deliver a stimulation pulse to at least one cardiac chamber of a heart of the patient; and a processor circuit coupled to the stimulation circuit, the processor circuit configured to operate in an operating mode in which at least one of the cardiac chambers is stimulated to cause an atrium of the heart to contract while a heart valve associated with the atrium is closed such that the atrial contraction distends the atrium, and the distending atrium results in reducing the patient'"'"'s blood pressure from the pretreatment blood pressure, by causing the atrium to contract at a time when pressure in a ventricle of the heart is about maximal so that active force of the atrial contraction increases atrial stretch above maximal passive atrial stretch caused by contraction of the ventricle. - View Dependent Claims (139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151)
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152. A method, carried out with an implanted heart muscle stimulator associated with a heart of a patient, for treating a blood pressure disorder in the patient, the patient having a pretreatment blood pressure, the method comprising:
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stimulating a heart such that an atrium of the heart contracts while a heart valve associated with the atrium is closed and reaches approximately peak atrial contraction when stretch in a ventricle of the heart is about maximal; increasing, by active force of the atrial contraction, an atrial stretch of the atrium above a maximal passive atrial stretch caused by contraction of the ventricle; and reducing, by the increased atrial stretch, the patient'"'"'s blood pressure from the pretreatment blood pressure. - View Dependent Claims (153)
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Specification