Patent ID: 6597952
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: A61B,A61N,H01L

Abstract:
An excitable tissue control device for setting on a beat by beat basis the parameters of an alert time window under a plurality of different cardiac conditions of a heart of a patient, said device is operatively connectable to a plurality of electrodes implanted in or about said heart, the device comprising:detection circuitry for detecting electrical events associated with myocardial activation of a first cardiac site in a signal sensed through at least a first electrode disposed in or about said first cardiac site, and for detecting electrical events associated with myocardial activation of a second cardiac site, in a signal sensed through at least a second electrode disposed in or about said second cardiac site; an excitable tissue control unit for delivering non-excitatory excitable tissue control signals to at least part of said second cardiac site through one or more electrodes of said plurality of electrodes; a memory unit for storing a set of data, said set of data comprises a plurality of sets of alert time window parameters, each set of alert time window parameters is uniquely associated with a different set of values of a plurality of cardiac condition defining parameters identifying one of said plurality of different cardiac conditions, each set of alert time window parameters comprises at least a set of timing parameters usable for obtaining a beginning time point and an ending time point for said alert time window, each set of alert time window parameters is obtained by processing data collected from a plurality of cardiac beats of said heart of said patient under said plurality of different cardiac conditions within a data collection session performed in said patient; a processor unit operatively connected to said detection circuitry, said excitable tissue control unit and said memory unit, for receiving signals from said detection circuitry, for controlling said excitable tissue control unit by using said signals received from said detection circuitry, for updating in a current beat cycle of said heart the values of a plurality of cardiac condition defining variables corresponding to said cardiac condition defining parameters, for automatically selecting for said current beat cycle a current set of alert time window parameters of said plurality of sets of alert time window parameters based on the current values of said cardiac condition defining variables, for applying said current set of alert time window parameters to initiate said alert time window within said current beat cycle upon detecting a first event at or about said first cardiac site, and for initiating the delivery of a delayed excitable tissue control signal at or about said second cardiac site upon detecting within the duration of said alert time window an electrical event associated with myocardial activation at or about said second cardiac site of said heart; and a power source for providing power to said detection circuitry, said processor unit said memory unit, and said excitable tissue control unit.