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A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. The invention may be implemented in a bradycardia pacemaker or oth

A system and method which employs atrial discrimination algorithms to distinguish between different atrial arrhythmias occurring in a patient for selecting an optimal pacing therapy corresponding to the type of arrhythmia identified. The invention may be implemented in a bradycardia pacemaker or other implantable cardiac device. In response to the detection of an atrial rate above the atrial tracking rate, discrimination criteria are applied to a detected atrial activity signal to distinguish between different types of supraventricular tachycardia, such as fast atrial flutter and other atrial flutter at a relatively slower rate, which may be occurring in the patient. The discrimination criteria may be, for example, rate-based or morphology based. The pacer is controlled to provide pacing therapy to a heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified. For example, antitachycardia pacing may be provided to the heart in response to the detection of a relatively lower rate supraventricular tachycardia/other atrial flutter, whereas another pacing control, e.g., ventricular pacing, such as ventricular rate regulation or Rate Smoothing, may be applied if a more rapid rate supraventricular tachycardia/fast atrial flutter is identified. The output of an atrial discrimination algorithm may be tracked and the trend thereof used to improve therapy timing.

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1. A method for providing pacing therapy to a heart, comprising:establishing discrimination criteria for distinguishing at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia having regular rapid supraventricular heart rates; sensing activity of at least one atria of the heart to provide an at

1. A method for providing pacing therapy to a heart, comprising:establishing discrimination criteria for distinguishing at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia having regular rapid supraventricular heart rates; sensing activity of at least one atria of the heart to provide an atrial activity signal; comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify one of the at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia having regular rapid supraventricular heart rates; and controlling pacing of the heart to provide atrial antitachycardia pacing in response to an identified first one of the at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia and to provide ventricular pacing in response to an identified second one of the at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia.3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter at a first high rate and a second atrial flutter at a second lower rate.4. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing rate-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between different types of supraventricular tachycardia and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a rate of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria.5. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing morphology-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between different types of supraventricular tachycardia and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a morphology characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria.6. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing a multi-dimensional threshold function, and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a combination of a plurality of statistics calculated from a set of depolarization intervals determined from the atrial activity signal to the threshold function.7. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring an effect of controlling pacing of the heart and automatically adjusting the discrimination criteria in response thereto.8. The method of claim 1 wherein ventricular pacing comprises one of ventricular rate regulation and Rate Smoothing.9. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes applying an atrial discrimination algorithm to the atrial activity signal to produce an atrial discrimination algorithm output value indicative of the type of supraventricular tachycardia occurring.10. The method of claim 9 comprising additionally trending a plurality of atrial discrimination algorithm output values and controlling timing of the pacing of the heart in a manner corresponding to the identified one of the at least two different types of supraventricular tachycardia in response to the trend of the atrial discrimination algorithm output values.11. A method for providing pacing therapy to a heart, comprising:establishing discrimination criteria for distinguishing between regular rapid supraventricular heart rates, the regular rapid supraventricular heart rates including fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia; sensing activity of at least one atria of the heart to provide an atrial activity signal; comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify whether a sensed regular rapid supraventricular heart rate is a fast atrial flutter of a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia; and controlling pacing of the heart to provide atrial antitachycardia pacing if a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is identified as occurring and to provide ventricular pacing if a fast atrial flutter is identified as occurring. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing criteria for distinguishing between the fast atrial flutter at a first high rate and a second atrial flutter at a second lower rate.13. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing rate-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a rate of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria.14. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing discrimination criteria includes establishing morphology-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a morphology characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria.15. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing discrimination criteria include establishing a multi-dimensional threshold function, and wherein comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes comparing a combination of a plurality of statistics calculated from a set of depolarization intervals determined from the atrial activity signal to the threshold function.16. The method of claim 11 further comprising monitoring an effect of controlling pacing of the heart, and automatically adjusting the discrimination criteria in response thereto.17. The method of claim 11 wherein the ventricular pacing comprises ventricular rate regulation and Rate Smoothing.18. A cardiac pacing device, comprising:sensing means for sensing activity of at least one atrium of a heart; signal detection means coupled to the sensing means for generating an atrial activity signal based on the sensed activity of the at least one a atrium of the heart; a pacer for providing pacing pulses to the heart; and a processor coupled to the signal detection means for receiving the atrial activity signal and to the pacer for comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to discrimination criteria for distinguishing at least two different types of regular rapid heart rates to identify a type of regular supraventricular tachycardia occurring and for controlling the pacer to provide an atrial antitachycardia pacing therapy to the heart for a first type of regular supraventricular tachycardia and a ventricular pacing therapy to the heart for a second type of regular supraventricular tachycardia. 19. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the sensing means includes at least one electrode positioned in the heart and wherein the signal detection means is coupled to the electrode by a lead.20. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the discrimination criteria include criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia.21. The cardiac pacing device of claim 20 wherein the discrimination criteria include criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter at a first high rate and a second atrial flutter at a second lower rate.22. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the discrimination criteria include rate-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between different types of supraventricular tachycardia and wherein the processor compares a rate characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify the type of supraventricular tachycardia occurring.23. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the discrimination criteria include morphology-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between different types of supraventricular tachycardia and wherein the processor compares a morphology characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify the type of supraventricular tachycardia occurring.24. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the discrimination criteria include a multi-dimensional threshold function, and wherein the processor compares a combination of a plurality of statistics calculated from a set of depolarization intervals determined from the atrial activity signal to the threshold function to identify the type of supraventricular tachycardia occurring.25. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the processor comprises additionally means for monitoring an effect of controlling the pacer to provide pacing pulses to the heart in a manner corresponding to the type of supraventricular tachycardia identified, and means for adjusting automatically the discrimination criteria in response to the monitored effect.26. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the ventricular pacing comprises ventricular rate regulation and Rate Smoothing.27. The cardiac pacing device of claim 18 wherein the processor means for comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria includes means for applying an atrial discrimination algorithm to the atrial activity signal to produce an atrial discrimination algorithm output value indicative of the type of supraventricular tachycardia occurring.28. The cardiac pacing device of claim 27 wherein the processor comprises additionally means for trending a plurality of the atrial discrimination algorithm output values and for controlling the pacer to control timing of the pacing of the heart in response to the trend of the atrial discrimination algorithm output values.29. A cardiac pacing device, comprising:sensing means for sensing activity of at least one of the atria of a heart; signal detection means coupled to the sensing means for generating an atrial activity signal based on the sensed activity of the heart; a pacer for providing pacing pulses to the heart; and a processor coupled to the signal detection means for receiving the atrial activity signal and to the pacer for comparing at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to discrimination criteria for distinguishing between regular rapid supraventricular heart rates, including distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia to identify whether a fast atrial flutter or a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is occurring and for controlling the pacer to provide atrial antitachycardia pacing to the heart if a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is identified as occurring and to provide ventricular pacing if a fast atrial flutter is identified as occurring. 30. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the sensing means includes at least one electrode positioned in the heart and wherein the signal detection means is coupled to the electrode by a lead.31. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the discrimination criteria include criteria for distinguishing between the fast atrial flutter at a first high rate and an other atrial flutter at a second lower rate.32. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29, wherein the discrimination criteria include rate-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia and wherein the processor compares a rate characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify whether a fast atrial flutter or a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is occurring.33. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the discrimination criteria include morphology-based discrimination criteria for distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia and wherein the processor compares a morphology characteristic of the atrial activity signal to the discrimination criteria to identify whether a fast atrial flutter or a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is occurring.34. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the discrimination criteria include a multi-dimensional threshold function, and wherein the processor compares a combination of a plurality of statistics calculated from a set of depolarization intervals determined from the atrial activity signal to the threshold function.35. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the processor comprises additionally means for monitoring an effect of controlling the pacer to provide pacing pulses to the heart, and means for adjusting automatically the discrimination criteria in response to the monitored effect.36. The cardiac pacing device of claim 29 wherein the ventricular pacing comprises ventricular rate regulation and Rate Smoothing.37. A cardiac pacing device, comprising:at least one sensor to sense atrial activity of a heart; a signal detector connected to the at least one sensor to generate an activity signal based on the sensed atrial activity of the heart; a pacer for providing pacing pulses to the heart; and a processor coupled to the signal detector to receive the atrial activity signal and coupled to the pacer to compare at least one characteristic of the atrial activity signal to discrimination criteria for distinguishing between regular rapid supraventricular heart rates, including distinguishing between fast atrial flutter and a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia to identify whether a fast atrial flutter or a slower rate supraventricular tachycardia is occurring and for controlling the pacer to provide atrial antitachycardia pacing to the heart for an identified slower rate supraventricular tachycardia and to provide ventricular pacing for an identified fast atrial flutter.