Patent ID: 8150511

Claim:
A method for determining an optimal defibrillation shock waveform for application to the heart of a patient by an implanted defibrillation system, said method comprising: obtaining a cardiac electrogram of the patient corresponding to at least one complete heart cycle, wherein the cardiac electrogram is a measure of the varying electrical potential between two electrodes positioned adjacent the heart and is characterized by a baseline, at least one peak above the baseline, and at least one trough below the baseline; determining a value of at least one characteristic of the cardiac electrogram; and selecting a predetermined value for at least one parameter of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform for subsequent delivery by the implanted defibrillation system, wherein the at least one parameter is based on the determined value of the at least one characteristic of the cardiac electrogram; wherein the at least one parameter defines the optimal defibrillation shock waveform and is selected from a group consisting of: a total energy of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform, a voltage of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform, a current of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform, a time period for a first phase of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform, a time period for second phase of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform for the patient, a time period for a third phase of a defibrillator shock waveform, a tilt of an optimal defibrillation shock waveform, and a polarity of a phase of a defibrillator shock waveform.