Methods and apparatus for preventing atrial arrhythmias by overdrive pacing and prolonging atrial refractoriness using an implantable cardiac stimulation device
US6606517B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 12, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 12, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 12, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N1/3622
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing the incidence of atrial arrhythmias by using an overdrive algorithm to determine the application of overdrive stimulation pulses to a patient's heart, e.g., in the atria. In a first aspect of the invention, the apparatus first determines an overdrive pacing rate and then applies pairs of temporally spaced (staggered) pacing pulses, i.e., primary and secondary pacing pulses, at the determined overdrive pacing rate. In a further aspect of the invention, the pairs of pacing pulses are applied at the overdrive pacing rate to multiple spatially spaced electrodes, i.e., electrodes distributed among multiple sites in a patient's heart, e.g., in the atria. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment, the electrodes may be distributed within a single atrium, e.g., the right atrium, of the patient's heart. Alternatively, a first electrode may be placed in the right atrium and a second electrode may be placed in the coronary sinus or the left atrium or multiple electrodes may be placed proximate to the left atrium. Furthermore, the invention relates to techniques for controlling overdrive pacing to multiple sites in a patient's heart so as to achieve an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.