Synchronizing rate responses between two cardiac pacemakers

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by processing circuitry of a computing device and from a first pacemaker implanted in a heart of a patient, first rate responsive pacing data;

receiving, by the processing circuitry and from a second pacemaker implanted in the heart of the patient, second rate responsive pacing data; and

synchronizing, by the processing circuitry and based at least in part on the first rate responsive pacing data and the second rate responsive pacing data, rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker and the second pacemaker.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data is collected by the first pacemaker as the patient undergoes a triggered exercise test; and

the second rate responsive pacing data is collected by the second pacemaker as the patient undergoes the triggered exercise test.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on a first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first activity counts algorithm;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on a second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second activity counts algorithm; and

synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises modifying, by the processing circuitry, at least one of: the first activity counts algorithm of the first pacemaker or one or more parameters of the first activity sensor such that the first pacemaker is able to generate, from the first rate responsive pacing data, first activity counts that match the second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein modifying at least one of: the first activity counts algorithm of the first pacemaker or the one or more parameters of the first activity sensor further comprises:

programming, by the processing circuitry, the first pacemaker to modify at least one of:

associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker or the one or more parameters of the first activity sensor.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first rate response slope;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second rate response slope; and

synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises modifying associations between the first activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker to modify the first rate response slope of the first pacemaker to match the second rate response slope of the second pacemaker.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first rate response slope associated with first associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second rate response slope generated associated with second associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the second pacemaker; and

synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises modifying, by the processing circuitry, the first associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker and the second associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the second pacemaker, such that each of the first pacemaker and the second pacemaker is able to achieve a specified target pacing rate given a specified activity level of the patient.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first rate responsive pacing data is collected by the first pacemaker over a period of time since a last follow-up clinical visit by the patient; and

the second rate responsive pacing data is collected by the second pacemaker over the period of time since the last follow-up clinical visit by the patient.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first pacing rate data and activity counts generated by the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second pacing rate data; and

synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises:

generating, by the processing circuitry, a first sensor rate histogram based at least in part on the first pacing rate data;

generating, by the processing circuitry, a second sensor rate histogram based at least in part on the second pacing rate data; and

determining, by the processing circuitry, a rate response algorithm for the first pacemaker, such that the rate response algorithm is usable to generate, based on the activity counts, pacing rate data having a sensor rate histogram that matches the second sensor rate histogram.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first pacing rate data and first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker; and

synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises:

generating, by the processing circuitry, a first activity counts histogram based at least in part on the first pacing rate data;

generating, by the processing circuitry, a second activity counts histogram based at least in part on the second pacing rate data; and

determining, by the processing circuitry, a rate response algorithm for the first pacemaker, such that the rate response algorithm is usable to generate pacing rate data having an activity count histogram that matches the second activity counts histogram.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein synchronizing the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker further comprises:

programming, by the processing circuitry, the first pacemaker to use the rate responsive algorithm for pacing the patient.

11 . A medical device comprising:

memory; and

processing circuitry operably coupled to the memory and configured to:

receive, from a first pacemaker implanted in a heart of a patient, first rate responsive pacing data;

receive, from a second pacemaker implanted in the heart of the patient, second rate responsive pacing data; and

synchronize, based at least in part on the first rate responsive pacing data and the second rate responsive pacing data, rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker and the second pacemaker.

12 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data is collected by the first pacemaker as the patient undergoes a triggered exercise test; and

the second rate responsive pacing data is collected by the second pacemaker as the patient undergoes the triggered exercise test.

13 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on a first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first activity counts algorithm;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on a second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second activity counts algorithm; and

to synchronize the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker, the processing circuitry is further configured to modify at least one of: the first activity counts algorithm of the first pacemaker or one or more parameters of the first activity sensor such that the first pacemaker is able to generate, from the first rate responsive pacing data, first activity counts that match the second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test.

14 . The medical device of claim 13 , wherein to modify at least one of: the first activity counts algorithm of the first pacemaker or the one or more parameters of the first activity sensor, the processing circuitry is further configured to:

program the first pacemaker to modify at least one of: associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker or the one or more parameters of the first activity sensor.

15 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first rate response slope;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second rate response slope; and

to synchronize the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker, the processing circuitry is further configured to modify associations between the first activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker to modify the first rate response slope of the first pacemaker to match the second rate response slope of the second pacemaker.

16 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on first accelerometer data generated by a first activity sensor of the first pacemaker and a first rate response slope associated with first associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker during the triggered exercise test based at least in part on second accelerometer data generated by a second activity sensor of the second pacemaker and a second rate response slope generated associated with second associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the second pacemaker; and

to synchronize the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker, the processing circuitry is further configured to modify the first associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the first pacemaker and the second associations between activity counts and pacing rates of the second pacemaker, such that each of the first pacemaker and the second pacemaker is able to achieve a specified target pacing rate given a specified activity level of the patient.

17 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein

the first rate responsive pacing data is collected by the first pacemaker over a period of time since a last follow-up clinical visit by the patient; and

the second rate responsive pacing data is collected by the second pacemaker over the period of time since the last follow-up clinical visit by the patient.

18 . The medical device of claim 17 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first pacing rate data and activity counts generated by the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second pacing rate data; and

to synchronize the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker, the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate a first sensor rate histogram based at least in part on the first pacing rate data;

generate a second sensor rate histogram based at least in part on the second pacing rate data; and

determine a rate response algorithm for the first pacemaker, such that the rate response algorithm is usable to generate, based on the activity counts, pacing rate data having a sensor rate histogram that matches the second sensor rate histogram.

19 . The medical device of claim 17 , wherein:

the first rate responsive pacing data includes first pacing rate data and first activity counts generated by the first pacemaker;

the second rate responsive pacing data includes second activity counts generated by the second pacemaker; and

to synchronize the rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker with the rate responsive pacing of the second pacemaker, the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate a first activity counts histogram based at least in part on the first pacing rate data;

generate a second activity counts histogram based at least in part on the second pacing rate data; and

determine a rate response algorithm for the first pacemaker, such that the rate response algorithm is usable to generate pacing rate data having an activity count histogram that matches the second activity counts histogram.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a medical device, cause the medical device to:

receive, from a first pacemaker implanted in a heart of a patient, first rate responsive pacing data;

receive, from a second pacemaker implanted in the heart of the patient, second rate responsive pacing data; and

synchronize, based at least in part on the first rate responsive pacing data and the second rate responsive pacing data, rate responsive pacing of the first pacemaker and the second pacemaker.