Patent ID: 6876882
Filing Date: 2005-04-05
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An implantable cardiac stimulating device comprising: a housing; a control circuit contained in said housing; an electrode adapted for positioning to stimulate a ventricle of a heart; a pulse generator connected to said control circuit and to said electrode for generating stimulation pulses at a pulse rate; a pulse rate variation unit connected to said pulse generator for varying said pulse rate up to a maximum rate; an evoked response sensor connected to said electrode for sensing an evoked response parameter of said ventricle to a stimulation pulse delivered to said first ventricle via said electrode; a time measurement unit connected to said sense amplifier for measuring a time gap between one of said stimulating pulses and an associated evoked response parameter sensed by said evoked response sensor; a monitor connected to said time measurement unit for monitoring said time gap at a plurality of different pulse rates varied by said pulse rate variation unit; and said control circuit lowering said maximum rate if said time gap does not decrease as said pulse rate increases.