Patent ID: 7480531

Claim:
A method for use with an implantable cardiac stimulation device for implant within a patient having a shocking circuit for generating therapeutic shocks for delivery to the patient, the method comprising: generating an electrical therapeutic shock using the shocking circuit wherein the shock has a voltage waveform having a reduced leading edge voltage followed by a plateau voltage; and applying the shock to heart tissue of the patient wherein the step of generating the shock includes sharply increasing the absolute magnitude of the shock voltage from a baseline voltage to the leading edge voltage, wherein the increase is substantially instantaneous; gradually increasing the absolute magnitude of the shock voltage from the leading edge voltage to a higher, plateau voltage, wherein the gradual increase occurs during a first extended interval of time; maintaining the absolute magnitude of the shock voltage substantially at the plateau voltage for a second, extended interval of time; and dropping the absolute magnitude of the shock voltage back to the baseline voltage, wherein the drop is substantially instantaneous.