Patent ID: 7599733
Filing Date: 2009-10-06
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. In an implantable system, a method for monitoring myocardial electrical stability, comprising: (a) pacing a patient's heart for a period of time using a patterned pacing sequence that repeats every N beats, where N is an integer that is at least 3; (b) obtaining an electrical signal that is representative of a plurality of consecutive beats of the patient's heart while the patient's heart is being paced using the patterned pacing sequence that repeats every N beats; (c) dividing the plurality of consecutive beats into a plurality of sets of N consecutive beats; (d) for each set of N consecutive beats, selecting 2 of the N beats to produce a sub-set of 2 beats per set of N consecutive beats; (e) transforming time domain data, associated with the plurality of sub-sets of 2 beats, to frequency domain data; (f) determining, based on the frequency domain data, an alternans magnitude at 0.5 cycles/beat; and (g) monitoring myocardial electrical stability based on the alternans magnitude at 0.5 cycles/beat.