Patent ID: 8473068

Claim:
An implantable stimulation apparatus comprising: a) a vagal nerve stimulator configured to generate electrical pulses having an energy insufficient to slow a patient's heart rate; b) a first electrode coupled to the vagal nerve stimulator and configured to transmit the electrical pulses to a vagal nerve so as to at least one of: (1) inhibit injury resulting from an ischemia; or (2) reduce injury resulting from an ischemia; c) a second electrode configured to sense cardiac activity of a patient's heart; and d) a control circuit coupled to the second electrode and the vagal nerve stimulator, wherein the control circuit: uses the cardiac activity to determine an energy of the electrical pulses at which the patient's heart rate is not slowed; and adjusts energy parameters of the electrical pulses so that the energy of the electric pulses is insufficient to slow the patient's heart rate.