Patent ID: 7826899

Claim:
In an implantable system that includes a plurality of atrial electrodes for one or both of sensing atrial fibrillation (AF) and delivering atrial antitachycardia pacing (AATP) and a plurality of electrodes for one or both of 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 two of the atrial vagal fat pads for hyperactivity; and (c) in response to detecting AF and detecting at least two hyperactive atrial vagal fat pads (c.1) selecting, for delivering AATP, the atrial electrode that is closest to the hyperactive atrial vagal pad that is selected from the group consisting of the hyperactive atrial vagal fat pad having a longest duration of hyperactivity, the hyperactive atrial vagal fat pad having a most intense action potential, and the hyperactive atrial vagal fat pad with a most irregular hyperactivity; (c.2) stimulating at least one of the atrial vagal fat pads; and (c.3) delivering AATP using the atrial electrode selected at step (c.1), to thereby terminate AF.