Patent ID: 8000786

Claim:
A method of delivering a subcutaneous defibrillation therapy from an extra-thoracic location, comprising: selecting at least a pair of subcutaneous electrodes from a plurality of subcutaneous electrodes positioned extra-thoracically relative to a patient's heart, the pair selected to provide an increased cardiac signal-to-noise ratio relative to other pairs of the plurality of subcutaneous electrodes; sensing a fibrillation event using the selected pair of subcutaneous electrodes of the plurality of subcutaneous electrodes; determining a fibrillation cycle length associated with the sensed fibrillation event; and delivering, using one or more combinations of electrodes of the plurality of subcutaneous electrodes, a plurality of defibrillation pulses to treat the fibrillation event, wherein delivery of a latter pulse of the defibrillation pulses subsequent to a former pulse of the defibrillation pulses is separated in time by a first delay associated with the fibrillation cycle length.