Patent ID: 7366567

Claim:
A method for treating a patient with myocardial infarction, comprising: identifying an infarcted area in the left ventricle of the patient; implanting a lead having one or more pacing electrodes in a cardiac vein so that the pacing electrode or electrodes are disposed adjacent to the infarcted area; delivering pacing pulses to one or more sites in proximity to the infarcted area with a selected pacing mode, wherein the pacing pulses are delivered in a manner that pre-excites the site or sites in proximity to the infarcted area relative to other areas of the ventricle; wherein the selected pacing mode is an AV sequential or atrial tracking mode that delivers a pre-excitation pace or paces to the infarcted area of the left ventricle upon expiration of a specified AV delay interval subsequent to an atrial event; evaluating hemodynamic performance by measuring a variable selected from dP/dt, pulse pressure, and left ventricular systolic pressure; and, optimizing one or more pacing parameters including the AV delay interval by selecting values which result in a minimum LVEDP without adversely affecting hemodynamic performance.