Patent ID: 6035232
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A device for determining tachycardial heart rhythm disturbances, comprising:a stimulation pulse generator;a ventricular stimulation electrode;an electrode line having a first end and a second end wherein, the first end is connected to the output of the stimulation pulse generator and the second end is connected to the stimulation electrode;one sensor electrode in the atrium of a heart;one sensor electrode in the ventricle of a heart;an atrial action detecting device connected on the input side to the atrial sensing electrode;a ventricular action detecting device connected on the input side to the ventricular sensing electrode;a timer;an atrial interval detecting device connected to the timer, for detecting the chronological spacing of successive atrial actions;a ventricular interval detecting device connected to the timer, for detecting the chronological spacing of successive ventricular actions;a comparator unit connected on the input side to the outputs of the atrial interval detecting device and the ventricular interval detecting device, wherein the comparator unit compares the chronological spacings of successive atrial actions and successive ventricular actions and outputs a stimulation inducing signal;an evaluation device connected to the output of the atrial interval detecting device for detecting and evaluating changes, caused by the ventricular stimulation pulse in the atrial intervals and for outputting a tachycardia classification signal that characterizes the outcome of the evaluation; anda stimulation control device having an input connected to an output of the evaluation device, the output of the comparator unit, the timer, the output of the ventricular action detecting device, and the output of the ventricular interval detecting device, and connected on the output side to the stimulation pulse generator, said stimulation control device for controlling the output of a train of stimulation pulses at such intervals as occur between the stimulation pulses of a plurality of spontaneous ventricular actions at a time, with the definition of an interval varying within the train in a predetermined way, of each ventricular stimulation pulse from the preceding or next expected spontaneous ventricular action.