Patent · US Expired

Implantable pacemaker including means and method of terminating a pacemaker-mediated tachycardia during rate adaptive pacing

US5228438A · kind A · utility

61Cited by
22References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 8, 1991
Grant dateJul 20, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 8, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/3622
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An atrial tracking dual-chamber pacemaker and method of use thereof for terminating a pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT). The pacemaker includes means for determining whether the present heart rate exceeds a tachycardia reference rate, and if so, whether a PMT-indicating sequence of a tracked P-wave, including a retrograde P-wave followed by a V-pulse, occurs repetitiously for at least a predetermined number of cardiac cycles. The pacemaker includes means for measuring the interval between a P-wave and a V-pulse (PVI) and sets the PVI to 250 milliseconds when the measured value is less than 250 milliseconds. The pacemaker issues a PMT-terminating timed atrial pulse which is timed from a retrograde P-wave by a time equal to the PVI, plus a delay of about 25-100 milliseconds. In the event the atrial pulse fails to terminate the PMT, the process is repeated after a fixed number of cardiac cycles has occurred. An alternate embodiment includes determining a ventricular escape interval (VEI) which is equal to the AEI plus the PVI. Upon the delivery of the timed atrial pulse, the pacemaker changes to the VDD mode of operation, and immediately upon the occurrence of the following V-pulse…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.