A computer-implemented system for selecting therapy profiles (102a-c) of electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves (15, 16, 61) for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising: an external programmer, comprising: a programming computer configured to execute using a processor program code that is stored in a recordable memory, comprising: a plurality of therapy profiles (102a-c) stored in the recordable memory that each comprise different sets of stimulation parameters that cooperatively define alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition for a neurostimulator that are tuned to restore autonomic balance through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses delivered at a periodic duty cycle in a range between 5% and 30% and in both afferent and efferent directions within neuronal fibers comprising cervical vagus nerve (15, 16, 61) of a patient to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes; and a user interface comprising input controls and a visual display and configured to display the therapy profiles (102a-c) to the patient and to select the set of stimulation parameters in the therapy profile (102a-c) chosen by the patient; a programming wand interfaced to the programming computer and configured to provide the selected set of stimulation parameters to the neurostimulator through wireless telemetry; and an implantable neurostimulator comprising a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead terminated by a pair of helical electrodes and electrically coupled to the neurostimulator, which is configured to therapeutically stimulate the patient's cervical vagus nerve (15, 16, 61) with a stimulation frequency larger than or equal to a minimum stimulation frequency through the helical electrodes by creating and propagating the action potentials with a pulse generator as specified by the selected set of stimulation parameters stored in the recordable memory; and wherein the duty cycle is determined by dividing the stimulation time by the sum of an ON and an OFF time of the neurostimulator and wherein the stimulation time includes a ramp-up time and a ramp-down time and wherein an output current of electrical pulses is gradually increased during the ramp-up time and gradually decreased during a ramp-down time. a programming computer configured to execute using a processor program code that is stored in a recordable memory, comprising: a plurality of therapy profiles (102a-c) stored in the recordable memory that each comprise different sets of stimulation parameters that cooperatively define alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition for a neurostimulator that are tuned to restore autonomic balance through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses delivered at a periodic duty cycle in a range between 5% and 30% and in both afferent and efferent directions within neuronal fibers comprising cervical vagus nerve (15, 16, 61) of a patient to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes; and a user interface comprising input controls and a visual display and configured to display the therapy profiles (102a-c) to the patient and to select the set of stimulation parameters in the therapy profile (102a-c) chosen by the patient; a plurality of therapy profiles (102a-c) stored in the recordable memory that each comprise different sets of stimulation parameters that cooperatively define alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition for a neurostimulator that are tuned to restore autonomic balance through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses delivered at a periodic duty cycle in a range between 5% and 30% and in both afferent and efferent directions within neuronal fibers comprising cervical vagus nerve (15, 16, 61) of a patient to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes; and a user interface comprising input controls and a visual display and configured to display the therapy profiles (102a-c) to the patient and to select the set of stimulation parameters in the therapy profile (102a-c) chosen by the patient; a programming wand interfaced to the programming computer and configured to provide the selected set of stimulation parameters to the neurostimulator through wireless telemetry; and an implantable neurostimulator comprising a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead terminated by a pair of helical electrodes and electrically coupled to the neurostimulator, which is configured to therapeutically stimulate the patient's cervical vagus nerve (15, 16, 61) with a stimulation frequency larger than or equal to a minimum stimulation frequency through the helical electrodes by creating and propagating the action potentials with a pulse generator as specified by the selected set of stimulation parameters stored in the recordable memory; and wherein the duty cycle is determined by dividing the stimulation time by the sum of an ON and an OFF time of the neurostimulator and wherein the stimulation time includes a ramp-up time and a ramp-down time and wherein an output current of electrical pulses is gradually increased during the ramp-up time and gradually decreased during a ramp-down time.