APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RELIABLY DETECTING A DEPOLARIZATION ACTIVATION WAVE OF THE HEART AND ATRIAL DEFIBRILLATOR UTILIZING SAME

摘要

An atrial defibrillator reliably detects adepolarization activation wave of the heart and deliverscardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heartin synchronism with a detected depolarization activationwave. The atrial defibrillator includes a first sensorfor producing a first electrical output having a durationsubstantially equal to the duration of the depolarizationactivation wave sensed between a first pair of spacedapart locations of the heart. The atrial defibrillatorfurther includes a second sensor for producing a secondelectrical output having a duration substantially equalto the duration of the depolarization activation wavesensed between a second pair of spaced apart locations ofthe heart. The spacing between the second pair oflocations is greater than the spacing between the firstpair of locations. A microprocessor is responsive to thefirst and second electrical outputs for providing anindication signal indicating the occurrence of thedepolarization activation wave when the second electricaloutput is longer in duration than the first electricaloutput. A pulse generator coupled to the microprocessorapplies electrical cardioverting energy to the atria ofthe heart in response to the indication signal.