Patent ID: 8548589

Claim:
For use with an implantable system, a method of performing at least one of a cardiac assessment and an autonomic assessment, comprising: (a) inducing premature atrial contractions (PACs) to thereby cause a corresponding premature contractions in the ventricles; (b) monitoring morphology of a signal that is indicative of cardiac intervals that follow the premature contractions of the ventricles caused by the induced PACs; (c) performing at least one of a cardiac assessment and an autonomic assessment, based on the monitored morphology of the signal that is indicative of cardiac intervals that follow the premature contractions of the ventricles caused by the induced PACs, wherein performing the assessment comprises identifying a period as a myocardial ischemic event based on the monitored morphology of the signal that is indicative of cardiac intervals that follow the premature contractions of the ventricles caused by the induced PACs; and (d) triggering one or more responses based on the assessment.