Patent ID: 7949399

Claim:
A method comprising: identifying one or more regions of neurons of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve as being associated with at least one member of the group consisting of ventilation rate, blood carbon dioxide concentration, blood oxygen concentration and blood pH; selecting a first electrode configuration from an electrode array to sense a first type of nerve activity of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve and selecting a second electrode configuration to sense a second type of nerve activity of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve, wherein the first type of nerve activity is different from the second type of nerve activity; acquiring an electroneurogram of the one or more regions; storing the electroneurogram in an implantable device, wherein the implantable device comprises a memory, and wherein the electroneurogram is stored in the memory of the implantable device; communicating the stored electroneurogram to another device; and analyzing the electroneurogram to determine least one member of the group consisting of ventilation rate, blood carbon dioxide concentration, blood oxygen concentration and blood pH.