Patent ID: 6311088
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A method of employing a pacemaker to pace a patient's heart, comprising:responsive to ventricular events, defining a post ventricular atrial refractory period having a first duration;detecting atrial depolarizations;responsive to detected atrial depolarizations outside of the post ventricular refractory period, timing an atrial-ventricular (AV) delay;delivering a ventricular pacing pulse upon expiration of an AV delay;detecting events which may disrupt AV synchrony; andresponsive to detection of an event which may disrupt AV synchrony,comparing the first duration to a defined duration; anddefining a post ventricular atrial refractory period having a second duration less than the first duration if the first duration is greater than or equal to the defined duration.