Medtronic, Inc.

Harold Toby Markowitz

John C Rueter

Todd Jon Sheldon

Mark K Erickson

Edwin G Duffin

Alan Varteres Sahakian

Gary J Syring

Andreas Schuler

Ann L Ledin

An implantable medical device and associated method provide atrial pacing and measure intervals between atrial pacing pulses and subsequently sensed ventricular events. A decreasing trend in the intervals indicative of a pre-junctional rhythm is detected. The atrial pacing pulse is delivered at a shortened atrial pacing pulse interval in response to detecting the decreasing trend to reduce the likelihood of a junctional rhythm.

Identification and treatment of junctional rhythms

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for detection and treatment of syncope in an implantable medical device, and particularly to detection of syncope as a function of a predetermined increase in one or more respiration parameter and drop in heart rate and optionally delivering a pacing therapy in response thereto. The onset of a syncopal episode is declared when the patient's respiration rate and/or tidal volume and/or minute ventilation increases by a predetermined increment or threshold and a heart rate drops below a threshold heart rate drop. The threshold heart rate drop is preferably established as a function of the change in the respiration parameter.

Methods and apparatus for detection and treatment of syncope

An implantable medical device employing a random access memory for storage of data relating the physiologic condition of the patient in which the device is implanted and/or information related to the functioning of the device. The memory and associated addressing circuitry are reconfigurable to allow for storage and display of information in either a histogram or trend line format.

Method and apparatus for implementing histogram storage and trend

A pacing system analyzer is constructed to provide verification that an implantable cardiac pacer operating in a demand mode will not itself produce tachycardia in a patient because of abnormally long patient retrograde conduction time. The analyzer when performing the retrograde conduction test provides an intercardiac electrogram, changes the ventricular sense amplifier to asynchronous and samples to determine the maximum amplitude signals over a sampling period to select an amplifier gain factor. After the gain factor is set additional signal samples are collected, peak-to-peak amplitude is measured and interpolation between data is made to provide waveform 'segments' and the best waveform segment to employ for testing for retrograde conduction is selected. The time periods from pacing to these segments are measured and utilized to determine if retrograde conduction is present.

Device for detecting retrograde conduction

A pacing system analyzer as connected to an implantable cardiac pacer and if an atrial pacing pulse is detected only, the analyzer sends a simulated P-wave to the pacer and determines the response of the simulated P-wave to determine if the pacing mode is AAI, AAT, or AOO. In the event a ventricular output pulse only is detected by the analyzer, a simulated R-wave is sent to the pacer and if the pacer responds either by a triggered ventricular pulse or by not changing its response, the analyzer determines that the pacer is in a VVT or VOO mode. On the other hand, if the pacer is inhibited a subsequent simulated P-wave is sent to it and the response of this P-wave determines whether or not the pacer is in a VVI or VDD mode. In the event that both atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are detected by the analyzer, the simulated R-wave is first sent to the pacer and an unchanged response determines that the pacer is in a DOO mode. On the other hand, if the pacer is inhibited so that ventricular pulses are not produced, then a simulated P-wave is sent to it. The response of the pacer to the simulated P-wave determines whether it is in a DVI or DDD mode.

Device for determining the pacing modality of an artificial cardiac

A marker channel telemetry system for use with a pacemaker or other medical device for transmitting event identifying codes to a remote receiver to indicate the occurrence of specific events such as sensed and paced events in a dual chamber pacemaker. The structure of the system includes latches to store event information and for forming the marker codes. The system also includes a serial telemetry transmitter for transmitting the data to the remote receiver.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

Harold Toby Markowitz