Patent ID: 8249709

Claim:
A method of assessing heart failure status in a patient, comprising: measuring a current inter-ventricular cardiac conduction time (IVCT); comparing the measured current IVCT to a previously measured IVCT; determining a rate of change of IVCT from the comparison; comparing the rate of change of the IVCT to a defined range of change; and identifying a possible change in cardiac status responsive to the rate of change of the IVCT being within the range of change; and responsive to the identification of possible change in cardiac status, performing one of: storing the current IVCT in a memory structure, notifying a patient of a possible change in cardiac status, notifying a clinician of a possible change in cardiac status, generating an alarm; the method further comprising: launching a stimulation wave front from a first electrode positioned proximate a first ventricular chamber; and sensing a local cardiac depolarization at a second electrode positioned proximate a second ventricular chamber, wherein detecting cardiac conduction time includes detecting a time between launching the wave front and sensing the local cardiac depolarization.