Patent ID: 6073049
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: A61N,G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A programmable multi-mode cardiac pacemaker device adapted to be implanted in the body of a patient and upgraded from time to time to enable the device to provide appropriate treatment of arrhythmias attributable to abnormalities in the cardiac pacing or cardiovascular system of the patient, as the needs of the patient for such treatment undergo change, said device comprising means for providing a multiplicity of different pacing operating modes in which electrical stimuli are produced for selective application to the patient's heart to treat arrhythmias; means for selectively sensing electrical activity of the patient's heart; means for selectively enabling said mode providing means to operate in at least one of said modes selected to produce electrical phenomena designated to treat a diagnosed arrhythmia of the patient; means responsive to detecting the occurrence of the diagnosed arrhythmia from sensed atrial or ventricular electrical activity for producing the designated electrical phenomena; means for programming said device to non-invasively disable those of said multiplicity of pacing operating modes which are not required to produce the designated electrical phenomena; and means for selectively restoring disabled pacing operating modes, including means for precluding said selective restoration except upon access through a security code.