Patent ID: 7392086
Filing Date: 2008-06-24
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A medical device, comprising: a plurality of electrodes electrically coupled to a heart; a pulse delivery circuit configured to deliver a plurality of pacing pulses to a heart using the plurality of electrodes; a transthoracic impedance sensor configured to sense a transthoracic impedance signal; and a control circuit coupled to the sensing circuit and the transthoracic impedance sensor, the control circuit configured to determine the presence of phrenic nerve stimulation resulting from the pacing pulses based on deviations in the transthoracic impedance signal corresponding to delivery of the plurality of pacing pulses and verify the presence of phrenic nerve stimulation resulting from the pacing pulses based on an additional deviation in the transthoracic impedance signal corresponding to an additional pulse delivered during a cardiac refractory period of the heart by the pulse delivery circuit using the plurality of electrodes.