Patent ID: 7203542

Claim:
An implantable biventricular cardiac stimulating device comprising: a housing adapted for implantation in a living subject; a pulse generating circuit contained in said housing for generating pacing pulses each having an energy content; a first electrode connected to said pulse generating circuit and adapted for positioning to interact with a first ventricle of the heart of the subject to deliver said pacing pulses thereto; a second electrode connected to said pulse-generating circuit adapted for positioning to interact with a second ventricle of the heart to deliver said pacing pulses thereto; a control circuit connected to said pulse generating circuit for controlling operation of said pulse generating circuit to control delivery of said pacing pulses to said first and second ventricles; a further electrode, remote from said housing, connected to said control circuit and adapted for positioning in the subject at a distance from the heart; and said control circuit sensing, via said further electrode, at least one intracorporeal ECG signal after delivery of pacing pulses to said first and second ventricles, respectively, and said control circuit analyzing at least one characteristic in said intracorporeal ECG signal to determine whether a loss of capture has occurred on either of said first and second electrodes.