Patent ID: 8016738

Claim:
A method of selecting a deflation timing mode for an intra-aortic balloon (IAB) by an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), the method comprising: a) determining a pre-ejection period (PEP) time (T 1 ), where T 1 is the time between an R wave of a subject's electrocardiogram (EGG) and systolic upstroke of the subject's arterial pressure; b) subtracting (PEP) time (T 1 ) from an IAB deflation time (T 2 ), where T 2 is the time from the issuance of a deflation command until the IAB is deflated; c) comparing T 2 -T 1 to a threshold time, where the threshold time allows the IAB to be at least partially deflated prior to systole; and d) if T 2 -T 1 is less than the threshold time, selecting a mode of deflation of the IAB that is triggered by the R wave of the EGG, and if T 2 -T 1 is greater than or equal to the threshold time, selecting a mode of deflation of the IAB that uses information from prior heartbeats to predict a deflation time, thereby selecting a deflation timing mode for an intra-aortic balloon (IAB) by an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP).