초록 ▼

An implantable pacemaker maintains a prescribed relationship between stimulation pulse amplitude and pulse width so as to provide an adequate safety factor above a stimulation threshold, while minimizing the current drain on the pacemaker battery. A series of stimulation pulse energies, each realize

An implantable pacemaker maintains a prescribed relationship between stimulation pulse amplitude and pulse width so as to provide an adequate safety factor above a stimulation threshold, while minimizing the current drain on the pacemaker battery. A series of stimulation pulse energies, each realized with a prescribed pulse amplitude and pulse width pair, are determined that may be used by the pacemaker as operating points. These operating points are numbered in order of increasing energy, and all adjustments of the pacing energy are made by selecting one of these operating points.

대표청구항 ▼

An implantable pacemaker comprising: a battery; pulse generating means for selectively generating electrical stimulation pulses at appropriate times for the purpose of depolarizing cardiac tissue, the electrical stimulation pulses being formed from electrical energy derived from the battery; means f

An implantable pacemaker comprising: a battery; pulse generating means for selectively generating electrical stimulation pulses at appropriate times for the purpose of depolarizing cardiac tissue, the electrical stimulation pulses being formed from electrical energy derived from the battery; means for detecting capture at a patient\s stimulation threshold; and pulse setting means, wherein the pulse setting means comprises: means for determining a plurality of stimulation thresholds at a plurality of pulse widths at which capture is detected corresponding to a strength-duration curve; means for adding a desired safety factor to the strength-duration curve to produce a plurality of pulse amplitude/pulse width combinations that would ensure capture at the desired safety factor; means for determining a pacing current drain for each of the plurality of pulse amplitude/pulse width combinations that would ensure capture at the desired safety factor; and means for selecting an optimal pulse amplitude/pulse width combination corresponding to a pulse amplitude/pulse width combination which ensures capture at the desired safety factor with the lowest pacing current drain.