Devices and methods for treatment of heart failure and associated conditions

1. A method, comprising:

causing a baroreflex therapy system to be manufactured and made available to a user, the baroreflex therapy system configured to be implantable within a patient and including a blood pressure sensor and a heart rate sensor;

causing an implantable measurement device to be manufactured and made available to the user, the implantable measurement device configured to be implantable proximate a blood vessel of the patient, the implantable measurement device including an electrode; and

causing a control system to be manufactured and made available to the user, the control system configured to be coupled to the baroreflex therapy system and the implantable measurement device, the control system programmed to automatically:

determine an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

determine arterial stiffness of the blood vessel based on the impedance;

determine blood pressure and heart rate; and

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a baroreflex therapy based on the blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control system contains pre-determined ranges for each of blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness, the method further comprising:

delivering a first therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure are each within the pre-determined ranges; and

delivering a second therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure all each exceed the pre-determined ranges.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control system contains pre-determined ranges for each of blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness, the method further comprising:

delivering a first therapy when the arterial stiffness and heart rate are each within the pre-determined ranges and the blood pressure exceeds the pre-determined range; and

delivering a second therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure all each exceed the pre-determined ranges.

4. A system, comprising:

an implantable baroreflex activation device;

a blood pressure sensor;

a heart rate sensor;

an implantable measurement device configured to be implanted proximate a blood vessel of a patient, the implantable measurement device including an electrode; and

a control system coupled to the baroreflex activation device, the blood pressure sensor, the heart rate sensor and the implantable measurement device, the control system programmed to automatically:

determine an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

determine arterial stiffness of the blood vessel based on the impedance;

determine blood pressure and heart rate; and

activate, deactivate or otherwise modulate the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a baroreflex therapy based on the blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the implantable measurement device is integrated with the implantable baroreflex activation device.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system contains pre-determined ranges for each of blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness, the control system being further programmed to:

deliver a first therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure are each within the pre-determined ranges; and

deliver a second therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure all each exceed the pre-determined ranges.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system contains pre-determined ranges for each of blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness, the control system being further programmed to:

deliver a first therapy when the arterial stiffness and heart rate are each within the pre-determined ranges and the blood pressure exceeds the pre-determined range; and

deliver a second therapy when the arterial stiffness, heart rate and blood pressure all each exceed the pre-determined ranges.

8. A method comprising:

causing a baroreflex therapy system to be manufactured and made available to a user, the baroreflex therapy system including a blood pressure sensor and a heart rate sensor;

causing an implantable measurement device to be manufactured and made available to a user, the implantable measurement device configured to be implanted proximate a blood vessel of a patient, the implantable measurement device including an electrode;

causing a control system to be manufactured and made available to the user, the control system coupled to the baroreflex therapy system and the implantable measurement device; and

programming the control system with instructions recorded on a tangible medium for operating the control system to deliver a baroreflex therapy, the instructions comprising:

determining an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle;

determining arterial stiffness of the blood vessel based on the impedance;

determining blood pressure and heart rate; and

activating, deactivating or otherwise modulating the baroreflex therapy system to deliver the baroreflex therapy based on the blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness.