Patent ID: 7158831
Filing Date: 2007-01-02
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A cardiac pacemaker, comprising: one or more sensing/pacing channels, each such channel comprising an electrode for disposing near a chamber of the head, a pulse generator for outputting pacing pulses, a sense amplifier for receiving voltage signals from the electrode, and a channel interface for adjusting the pacing pulse energy; a controller for controlling the operation of the pulse generators; circuitry for delivering one or more pacing pulses to a heart chamber during a cardiac cycle in accordance with an inhibited demand pacing mode; and, circuitry for delivering a pacing pulse to the heart chamber with a pulse energy selected to exceed a specified capture threshold value by a first safety margin SM1 if all of the preceding N cardiac cycles were paced cycles or by a second safety margin SM2 otherwise, where N is a specified integer.