Patent ID: 8260418

Claim:
An implantable medical device for electrically stimulating cardiac tissue, comprising: a) a lead that conducts electrical pulses to an electrode on the lead, the electrode adapted for electrical contact with cardiac tissue; b) a pulse generator coupled to the lead and configured to deliver electrical pulses to the cardiac tissue via the electrode, the generator generating an electrical stimulation pulse and an electrical recharge pulse, the electrical recharge pulse for minimizing polarization on the electrode resulting from the electrical stimulation pulse; c) a sensor configured to sense the polarization on the one of the electrodes, the sensor sensing the polarization after delivery of the electrical recharge pulse; and d) a processor configured to calculate an adjustment amount for the electrical recharge pulse if the sensed polarization is not within a predetermined desirable range, the adjustment amount being based on the sensed polarization and calculated towards minimizing the sensed polarization, the processor adjusting the electrical recharge pulse by the calculated adjustment amount for a subsequent electrical recharge pulse.