| abstract |
Heart rhythm is stabilized within the heart's free running cycle by detecting arrhythmias via a sensor (10) in a mammalian subject, and then electronically stimulating the subject's vagus (16) and cardiac sympathetic nerves (18) with a neuro-cybernetic prosthesis (12). More specifically, vagus efferent is stimulated to directly cause heart rate to slow down, while cardiac sympathetic nerve efferent is stimulated to cause the heart rate to quicken. Simultaneously, afferent from vagus and/or cardiac sympathetic nerves induce the brain (20) to employ the brain's natural mechanisms of heart control. Such nerve stimulation works in harmony with the body's natural mechanisms of heart rhythm control. |