Patent ID: 8449472

Claim:
In an implantable system that includes a plurality of atrial electrodes for sensing atrial fibrillation (AF) and delivering atrial antitachycardia pacing (AATP) and a plurality of electrodes for monitoring and stimulating atrial vagal fat pads, a method for terminating AF, the method comprising: (a) monitoring at least one of the atrial electrodes for AF; (b) monitoring at least one of the atrial vagal fat pads for hyperactivity; and (c) to terminate AF, in response to detecting AF and detecting no hyperactive atrial vagal fat pad (c.1) delivering AATP using at least one of the atrial electrodes; and (c.2) stimulating at least one of the atrial vagal fat pads to induce hyperactivity in at least one of the atrial fat pads to thereby increase an atrial rate and reduce an atrial refractory period, which increases efficacy of the delivered AATP; and further comprising: (d) if step (c) did not terminate AF then stimulating a second atrial vagal fat pad that is closest to a first atrial vagal fat pad that was previously stimulated; and (e) delivering AATP using the atrial electrode that is closest to the second atrial vagal fat pad.