Patent ID: 7542799
Filing Date: 2009-06-02
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of operating an implantable medical device (IMD) that provides cardiac pacing and sensing, the method comprising: operating the IMD in an atrial based pacing mode with a ventricular pacing protocol (VPP), wherein the VPP is a pacing protocol that provides multiple-beat AV coordination and minimizes ventricular pacing by tolerating a complete cardiac cycle devoid of ventricular activity while maintaining AV synchrony; sensing for intrinsic ventricular activity; determining the nature of the sensed ventricular activity; operating normally in the atrial based pacing mode if the sensed ventricular activity is determined to be a properly conducted ventricular beat; initiating a first response under the VPP if the sensed ventricular activity is determined to be a nodal rhythm; and initiating a second response under the VPP if the sensed ventricular activity is determined to be a premature ventricular contraction (PVC), wherein the second response includes determining if the PVC is a first occurrence within a predetermined window; and operating under the VPP as if no ventricular activity were sensed if the PVC is the first occurrence.