Claims
- 1. A method for treating coronary artery disease, comprising:
providing a stimulator that generates a pulse in accordance with prescribed parameters; providing a catheter connected to the stimulator, which catheter includes a discharge portion; implanting the catheter discharge portion near at least one cardiac tissue to be stimulated; implanting the stimulator at a location remote from the at least one tissue to be stimulated; tunneling the catheter subcutaneously to the stimulator location; and delivering via the stimulator and catheter infusion pulses of at least one drug as at least one treatment for coronary artery disease to the at least one cardiac tissue, which tissue comprises at least one of a coronary artery, a branch of a coronary artery, a coronary vein, a branch of a coronary vein, the aorta, the left ventricle, the right ventricle, the left atrium, the right atrium, a pulmonary vein, the coronary sinus, the inferior vena cava, the superior vena cava, the sino-atrial (SA) node, and the atrioventricular (AV) node.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a lead connected to a stimulator, which lead includes at least two electrodes, and delivering an electrical stimulating pulse to tissue surrounding the at least two electrodes.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drug comprises at least one of nitroglycerin, magnesium sulfate, adenosine, Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP), Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, amyl nitrite, nitric oxide, a nitric oxide donor, a calcium-channel blocker, a beta-blocker, a cholesterol-lowering agent, an anti-thrombotic agent, a kinin, prostacyclin, hypothalamic inhibitory factor (HIF), a medication used to promote angiogenesis, a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to angiogenesis, an AGE Crosslink Breaker, and a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to removal of AGE Crosslinks.
- 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one drug provides acute treatment on demand with at least one of nitroglycerin, magnesium sulfate, nitric oxide, adenosine, Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP), and Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP).
- 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one drug provides chronic treatment delivered at a basal rate or via periodic bolus of at least one of nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, amyl nitrite, nitric oxide, a nitric oxide donor, a calcium-channel blocker, a beta-blocker, a cholesterol-lowering agent, an anti-thrombotic agent, a kinin, prostacyclin, and hypothalamic inhibitory factor (HIF).
- 6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one drug promotes angiogenesis.
- 7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the drug is at least one of VEGF and FGF.
- 8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the drug is a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to angiogenesis.
- 9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the drug is phVEGF.
- 10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one drug removes AGE Crosslinks.
- 11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the at least one drug is ALT-711.
- 12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the drug is a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to removal of AGE Crosslinks.
- 13. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least one sensor to sense a physical condition, and adjusting the parameters based on the sensed condition.
- 14. A method for treating coronary artery disease (CAD), comprising:
implanting a fully implantable stimulator system for generating stimulating pulses; administering via the stimulator system stimulating pulses of at least one acute CAD drug; administering via the stimulator system stimulating pulses of at least one chronic CAD drug; and administering via the stimulator system stimulating pulses of at least one drug that reverses. CAD.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one drug that reverses CAD comprises at least one of VEGF, FGF, a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to angiogenesis, phVEGF, an AGE Crosslink breaker, ALT-711, and a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to removal of AGE Crosslinks.
- 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising administering electrical stimulation pulses to treat CAD.
- 17. A system for treating coronary artery disease, comprising:
a stimulator that generates an infusion pulse in accordance with prescribed parameters; a catheter connected to the stimulator, which catheter includes a discharge portion; wherein the stimulator and catheter are configured to deliver at least one drug to at least one cardiac tissue, which tissue comprises at least one of a coronary artery, a branch of a coronary artery, a coronary vein, a branch of a coronary vein, the aorta, the left ventricle, the right ventricle, the left atrium, the right atrium, a pulmonary vein, the coronary sinus, the inferior vena cava, the superior vena cava, the sino-atrial (SA) node, and the atrio-ventricular (AV) node.
- 18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a lead connected to the stimulator, which lead includes at least two electrodes, and wherein the stimulator is configured to generate an electrical stimulation pulse which is delivered in accordance with prescribed parameters to tissue near the at least two electrodes.
- 19. The system of claim 17 wherein the stimulator includes a programmable memory for receiving and retaining the prescribed parameters.
- 20. The system of claim 17 further comprising a power source housed within the stimulator for providing operating power to the stimulator wherein the power source is rechargeable.
- 21. The system of claim 17 further comprising at least one external appliance for transmitting power to the stimulator.
- 22. The system of claim 17 further comprising at least one external appliance for transmitting the parameters to the stimulator.
- 23. The system of claim 17 further comprising at least one sensor, and wherein the parameters are adjusted based on the sensed condition.
Parent Case Info
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/310,445, filed Aug. 3, 2001, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60310445 |
Aug 2001 |
US |