Patent ID: 7953482

Claim:
A method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device, comprising: sensing atrial depolarizations via implanted electrodes; administering a pacing therapy according to a first pacing mode to patient's heart via implanted electrodes; detecting an atrial arrhythmia in response to sensed atrial depolarizations according to a first threshold for determination of the atrial arrhythmia; switching from the first pacing mode to a second pacing mode having reduced atrial blanking periods as compared to the first pacing mode in response to detecting the atrial arrhythmia according to the first threshold; thereafter administering pacing therapy in the second pacing mode; and analyzing atrial depolarizations sensed during administration of pacing therapy according to the second pacing mode to confirm the presence of the detected atrial arrhythmia according to a second threshold for determination of the atrial arrhythmia, the second threshold higher than the first threshold.