Implantable cardioverter defibrillator having fast action operation

摘要

An implantable cardiac rhythm management device has a housing containing rhythm management circuitry. The circuitry includes a battery, a transformer, and a capacitor connected via charging circuitry that operates to transmit current from the battery to charge the capacitor. A number of leads connected to the circuitry operate to transmit a shock from the capacitor to cardiac tissue outside of the housing. The capacitor has a smaller volume than the combined volume of the battery and transformer, such that it reaches a selected charge voltage within a limited time interval. The device may operate to limit capacitor charging to less than a selected energy storage capability at a given voltage, and components may be selected to limit charging time to less than 2 seconds. The component selection and charge duration may be based on a time-based function of defibrillation threshold (DFT).