Apparatus and method for controlling the delivery of non-excitatory cardiac contractility modulating signals to a heart

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is noted that, while generally the term ETC signal refers to non-excitatory electrical signals applied to an excitable tissue, the terms ETC signal and CCM signal are interchangeably used throughout the present application to define non-excitatory cardiac contractility modulating electrical signals which are delivered to a heart.
Similarly, while generally the term ETC device refers to a device which is capable, inter alia, of delivering non-excitatory contractility modulating electrical signals to an excitable tissue, the terms ETC device and CCM device are interchangeably used throughout the present application, to define a device which is capable, inter alia, of delivering non-excitatory cardiac contractility modulating electrical signals to a heart.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for controlling the delivery of a non-excitatory cardiac contractility modulating signals to a heart within a cardiac beat cycle.
The method includes the step of sensing electrical activity in or about a first cardiac chamber to provide a first electrogram signal.
The method also includes the step of detecting electrical events in the first electrogram signal.
The method also includes the step of providing a first artifact window within the current beat cycle and detecting events occurring in the first electrogram signal within the duration of the first artifact window.
The first artifact window starts at or after a trigger event representing the beginning of the current cardiac beat cycle.
The first artifact window has a first artifact window duration.
The method also includes the step of providing an alert window period within the current beat cycle.
The alert window period has a first duration and is delayed from the trigger event.
The method also includes the step of enabling the delivery of a cardiac contractility modulating signal to the first chamber of the heart within the current beat cycle in response to a first event detected in the first electrogram signal within the duration of the alert window period