Methods and systems for lowering blood pressure through reduction of ventricle filling

摘要

Methods and devices for reducing ventricle filling volume are disclosed. In some embodiments, an electrical stimulator may be used to stimulate a patient's heart to reduce ventricle filling volume or even blood pressure. When the heart is stimulated in a consistent way to reduce blood pressure, the cardiovascular system may over time adapt to the stimulation and revert back to the higher blood pressure. In some embodiments, the stimulation pattern may be configured to be inconsistent such that the adaptation response of the heart is reduced or even prevented. In some embodiments, an electrical stimulator may be used to stimulate a patient's heart to cause at least a portion of an atrial contraction to occur while the atrioventricular valve is closed. Such an atrial contraction may deposit less blood into the corresponding ventricle than when the atrioventricular valve is opened throughout an atrial contraction.

主权项

1. A system for reducing ventricular filling volume in a patient having a pretreatment ventricular filling volume, comprising:
a stimulation circuit configured to deliver a stimulation pulse to at least one cardiac chamber; and at least one controller configured to execute the delivery of one or more stimulation patterns of stimulation pulses to at least one cardiac chamber, wherein at least one of the stimulation pulses has a first stimulation setting and at least one of the stimulation pulses has a second stimulation setting different from the first stimulation setting, at least one of the first stimulation setting and the second stimulation setting being configured to reduce or prevent atrial kick, thereby reducing the ventricular filling volume from the pretreatment ventricular filling volume.