Patent ID: 7512441
Filing Date: 2009-03-31
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An electrical cardiac stimulation system having an autocapture/stimulation/sensing configuration for use with atrial and ventricular leads, said electrical cardiac stimulation system including: (a) a combination of electrodes selected from a plurality of possible combinations of atrial and ventricular electrodes; (b) a stimulation system enclosed in a housing, said stimulation system being electrically coupled to each said atrial electrode and each said ventricular electrode for providing an electrical pacing stimulus to at least one of an atrium or ventricle of a heart; (c) a sensing circuit that senses an evoked response by the heart to the electrical stimulus, wherein a signal associated with an evoked response from the electrical stimulus is sensed between at least two of said electrodes of said combination and wherein said sensing circuit is adapted to selectively sense evoked responses between all combinations of any two of said electrodes; (d) an afterpotential attenuation device for attenuating afterpotentials which result due to the application of the pacing stimulus to the heart by said electrical stimulation system, said afterpotential attenuation device being electrically coupled to said stimulation system; and, (e) wherein said afterpotential attenuation device comprises a switch for reducing a coupling capacitance through which the pacing stimulus is delivered.