Patent ID: 7546159

Claim:
A subcutaneous cardiac stimulation system comprising: an arrhythmia detector that detects an accelerated arrhythmia of a heart; a subcutaneous lead system coupled to the arrhythmia detector and defining first and second arrhythmia detection electrode configurations; a verification circuit that verifies detection of an accelerated arrhythmia with each of the first and second arrhythmia detection electrode configurations; and a therapy circuit that delivers stimulation therapy to the heart responsive to verification of an accelerated arrhythmia with each of the first and second arrhythmia detection electrode configurations; wherein the verification circuit is responsive to a first detection of an accelerated arrhythmia with a first one of the first and second arrhythmia detection electrode configurations; wherein the verification circuit first verifies an accelerated arrhythmia detection with the first one of the first and second arrhythmia detection electrode configurations; wherein the verification circuit first verifies an accelerated arrhythmia detection with the first one of the first and second accelerated arrhythmia detection electrode configurations during a first verification time period following the first detection of the accelerated arrhythmia; wherein the verification circuit further verifies the accelerated arrhythmia detection with both the first and second accelerated arrhythmia detection electrode configurations during a further verification period following the first verification period; and wherein the verification circuit verifies the accelerated arrhythmia detection during the further verification period with a second one of the first and second accelerated arrhythmia detection electrode configurations providing continuous accelerated arrhythmia detection verification during a verification window within the further verification period.