The effect of triggered endocardial neuromodulation decreasing elevated heart rate

The heart rate is known to be an independent risk factor for higher overall mortality. Accordingly, there is a certain need for efficient heart rate modulation, by means of pharmacological approaches as well as by electrical neuromodulation via the autonomous nervous system. As pharmacological approaches do not provide any dynamic adjustment of heart rate and come along with a number of side effects, we investigate an alternative technique called cardiac neuromodulation. This new approach aims to a dynamical regulation of the heart rate through electrical stimulation of the autonomous nervous system. The first results of an in-vivo study in sheep (n = 5) demonstrating safe and triggered electrical neuromodulation. Vital parameters as electrocardiograms, intracardiac electrograms, invasive blood pressure, and oxygen saturation are recorded for retrospective analysis. Results show that during neurostimulation period, heart rate decreased instantly up to ≈ 37% and immediately increased again at the end of stimulation.