Patent ID: 7860566
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A system for achieving a desired cardiac rate and cardiac rhythm in response to atrial fibrillation in a heart, the system comprising: atrial fibrillation (AF) detecting means for detecting AF; atrioventricular node vagal stimulation (AVN-VS) means for applying electrical stimulation to an epicardial fat pad to stimulate vagal nerves associated with an atrioventricular (AV) node of the heart; on-demand pacing means for providing ventricular pacing stimulation to the heart; and control means operatively connected with the AF detecting means, the AVN-VS means, and the on-demand pacing means; the control means being responsive to AF detection by the AF detecting means to cause the AVN-VS means to stimulate the vagal nerves to help reduce a high irregular ventricular rate of the heart to a desired slower, though still irregular, ventricular rate of the heart; the control means being further responsive to AF detection by the AF detecting means to cause the on-demand pacing means to pace the heart at a regular rate equal to the average of the slower irregular ventricular rate achieved through vagal nerve stimulation in order to establish regular ventricular rhythm of the heart, wherein the AVN-VS means and the on-demand pacing means apply electrical stimulation simultaneously.