Heart stimulator and method for A-V delay optimization

1. An implantable heart stimulator that can be connected or is connected to at least one electrode lead for picking up electric potentials corresponding to myocardial contraction,

a. the implantable heart stimulator including:

i. an evaluation unit that is:

(1) adapted to being connected to an electrode lead; and

(2) configured to evaluate electric signals corresponding to electric potentials picked up by the electrode lead; and

ii. a control unit configured to schedule ventricular stimulation pulses;

b. wherein:

i. the evaluation unit is configured to:

(1) detect an atrial event in a heart from the electric signals corresponding to the electric potentials; and

(2) determine a P-wave duration of the atrial event from the electric signals corresponding to the electric potentials; and

ii. the control unit is configured to:

(1) determine an atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-to-beat basis such that an atrio-ventricular delay for an individual heart cycle depends on the P-wave duration of a same or an immediately preceding heart cycle, wherein:

(a) the atrio-ventricular delay is calculated as P-wave duration plus Δ duration; and

(b) Δ is a function of an AV nodal recovery time, the AV nodal recovery time being an interval between an end of a previous AV nodal refractory period and a following AV nodal activation time; and

(2) schedule a ventricular stimulation pulse to be delivered at the end of the atrio-ventricular delay.

2. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 1 , wherein Δ is further a function of an underlying autonomic status of the patient.

3. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein Δ is inversely related to the AV nodal recovery time.

4. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured:

a. to calculate the atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-by-beat basis; and

b. to adjust Δ on a beat-by-beat basis.

5. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein:

a. Δ is calculated to decrease at increased sympathetic tone; and

b. Δ is calculated to increase at increased vagal tone.

6. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein:

a. the implantable heart stimulator is configured to determine a V-A interval from an intracardiac electrocardiogram derived from picked up electric potentials; and

b. the control unit is configured to approximate the AV nodal recovery time based on the V-A interval.

7. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein:

a. the implantable heart stimulator includes at least one of an accelerometer sensor, a minute ventilation sensor, and a close-loop-stimulation sensor; and

b. the control unit is configured to assess the autonomic status of the heart via the accelerometer sensor, the minute ventilation sensor, the close-loop-stimulation sensor, a short-term heart rate variability analysis, and/or intracardiac impedance measurements.

8. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 2 , wherein:

a. the heart stimulator is configured to deliver a cardiac resynchronization therapy; and

b. the control unit is further configured to bound the atrioventricular delay by an intrinsic atrioventricular conduction time.

9. A method to determine an atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-to-beat basis, the method including the steps of:

a. determining a P-wave duration from electric signals corresponding to electric potentials in a heart; and

b. determining the atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-to-beat basis such that the atrio-ventricular delay for an individual heart cycle depends on the P-wave duration of a same or an immediately preceding heart cycle, wherein:

i. the atrio-ventricular delay is calculated as P-wave duration plus Δ duration; and

ii. A is a function of an AV nodal recovery time, the AV nodal recovery time being an interval between an end of a previous AV nodal refractory period and a following AV nodal activation time.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein Δ is further a function of an underlying autonomic status of the patient.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein Δ is inversely related to the AV nodal recovery time.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the atrio-ventricular delay is calculated on a beat-by-beat basis and Δ is adjusted on a beat-by-beat basis.

13. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of:

a. determining a V-A interval from an intracardiac electrocardiogram derived from picked up electric potentials; and

b. approximating the AV nodal recovery time using the V-A interval.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the autonomic status of the heart is assessed via an accelerometer sensor, a minute ventilation sensor, close-loop-stimulation (CLS) sensors, short-term heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, and/or intracardiac impedance measurements.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the atrioventricular delay is further bound by an intrinsic atrioventricular conduction time.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein Δ decreases at increased sympathetic tone and Δ increases at increased vagal tone.

17. An implantable heart stimulator configured to determine atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-to-beat basis by:

a. determining a P-wave duration from electric signals corresponding to electric potentials in a heart; and

b. determining an atrio-ventricular delay on a beat-to-beat basis such that the atrio-ventricular delay for an individual heart cycle depends on the P-wave duration of a same or an immediately preceding heart cycle, wherein:

i. the atrio-ventricular delay is calculated as P-wave duration plus Δ duration; and

ii. Δ is a function of an AV nodal recovery time, the AV nodal recovery time being an interval between an end of a previous AV nodal refractory period and a following AV nodal activation time.

18. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 17 including:

a. an electrode lead configured to pick up electric potentials corresponding to myocardial contraction;

b. an evaluation unit connected to the electrode lead, the evaluation unit being configured to evaluate electric signals corresponding to the electric potentials; and

c. a control unit configured to schedule a ventricular stimulation pulse to be delivered at the end of the atrio-ventricular delay following an atrial event.

19. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 18 wherein the control unit is further configured to calculate:

a. the atrioventricular delay where Δ is further a function of an underlying autonomic status of the patient; and

b. the atrioventricular delay on a beat-by-beat basis and to adjust Δ on a beat-by-beat basis.

20. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 19 , wherein:

a. the implantable heart stimulator is configured to determine a V-A interval from an intracardiac electrocardiogram derived from picked up electric potentials; and

b. the control unit is further configured to approximate the AV nodal recovery time based on the V-A interval.

21. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 1 , wherein Δ is substantially defined by Δ=(μ+α·e −RT/τ )·f(r), where:

a. μ, α, and τ are predefined constants;

b. RT is the AV nodal recovery time of the present beat;

c.

f

⁡

(

r

)

=

K

+

r

-

1

K

+

1

;

d. K is a positive constant; and

e. r is a ratio of low frequency to high frequency from a heart rate variability analysis.

22. The method of claim 9 , wherein Δ is substantially defined by Δ=(μ+α·e −RT/τ )·f(r), where:

a. μ, α, and τ are predefined constants;

b. RT is the AV nodal recovery time of a present beat;

c.

f

⁡

(

r

)

=

K

+

r

-

1

K

+

1

;

d. K is a positive constant; and

e. r is a ratio of low frequency to high frequency from a heart rate variability analysis.

23. The implantable heart stimulator of claim 17 , wherein Δ is substantially defined by Δ=(μ+α·e −RT/τ )·f(r), where:

a. μ, α, and τ are predefined constants;

b. RT is the AV nodal recovery time of a present beat;

c.

f

⁡

(

r

)

=

K

+

r

-

1

K

+

1

;

d. K is a positive constant; and

e. r is a ratio of low frequency to high frequency from a heart rate variability analysis.