Patent ID: 8923990

Claim:
A method of treating a patient having chronic heart failure (CHF), the method comprising: generating a pulsed electrical signal comprising: a signal ON time; a signal OFF time; an output current; a signal frequency of at least 10 Hz; a pulse width; and a duty cycle defined by dividing the signal ON time by the sum of the signal ON time and signal OFF time, wherein the duty cycle comprises a value in the range of 5% to 30%; applying the electrical signal to a vagus nerve using at least one electrode coupled to said vagus nerve, wherein the application of the electrical signal to the vagus nerve results in propagation of action potentials in both afferent and efferent directions, wherein said afferent action potentials activate one or more medial medullary sites and said efferent action potentials activate the intrinsic nervous system of the heart; sensing the heart rate of the patient; and analyzing said heart rate of the patient to determine at least one of a therapeutic efficacy and a patient condition.