Patent ID: 7280875

Claim:
An implantable cardiac lead for transmitting electrical signals between an implantable medical device and selected body tissue in the heart, the lead comprising: a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the lead body carrying a connector assembly connectable to the implantable medical device; and at least one cardioverting and/or defibrillating coil electrode on the distal end of the lead body, the at least one cardioverting and/or defibrillating coil electrode being electrically connected to a terminal contact on the connector assembly, the at least one cardioverting and/or defibrillating coil electrode comprising a biocompatible, biostable, corrosion-resistant wire strand comprising (a) a core comprising a plurality of electrically conductive, low electrical resistance filaments embedded in an electrically conductive matrix and (b) a low electrical resistance, substantially chemically inactive cladding enclosing the core, the cladding being discrete from the matrix.