Patent · US Expired

Treating refractory hypertension by nerve stimulation

US5707400A · kind A · utility

1,135Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 19, 1995
Grant dateJan 13, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 19, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/36117
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of treating patients suffering from refractory hypertension includes identifying a patient suffering from the disorder and applying a stimulating electrical signal to the patient's vagus nerve predetermined to modulate the electrical activity of the nerve and to alleviate the hypertension. The step of applying the stimulation may be performed manually by the patient, or automatically following detection of the hypertension by sensing the patient's blood pressure, or, preferably by continuous or periodic application without use of a sensor. The stimulating signal is a pulse waveform with programmable signal parameter values including pulse width, output current, frequency, on time and off time.

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