Rate related tachycardia control pacer

US4408606A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Telectronics Pty. Limited · AU

Inventors

• Roworth A. J. Spurrell · London, GB
• Alan John Camm · London, GB
• David Ward · London, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 1981
• Grant date: Oct 11, 1983
• Expiry date: Mar 19, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/3621
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An improved pacer for controlling tachycardia. Following tachycardia confirmation, a burst of at least three stimulating pulses is generated. The time intervals between successive pulses decrease by a fixed decrement; thus the rate of the pulses increases during each cycle of operation, the burst being more accurately characterized as a "chirp". The first pulse is generated following the last heartbeat which is used to confirm tachycardia at a time which is actually dependent on the rate of the heartbeats in the tachycardia episode; the time delay between the last heartbeat and the first pulse in the chirp is equal to the time interval between the last two heartbeats, less the fixed decrement which characterizes successive time intervals between stimulating pulses. Because successive pulses are generated at an increasing rate, and because the first pulse is generated at a time which is actually dependent upon the tachycardia rate, there is a greater likelihood that tachycardia termination will be achieved.