Cardiac neuromodulation and methods of using same

Abstract

The present invention relates in general to methodologies for the treatment quenching preconditioning and communication between the intrinsic cardiac nervous system and an electrical stimulus. In particular, the present invention utilizes spinal cord stimulation to alter and/or affect the intrinsic cardiac nervous system and thereby protect the myocytes, stabilize myocardial electrical instability and/or alleviate or diminish cardiac pathologies.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of treating sequelae of myocardial ischemia in a patient comprising:
 identifying a patient suffering from or that is susceptible to myocardial ischemia;   implanting a stimulation device into the patient to electrically stimulate the spinal cord, wherein the stimulation device comprises a plurality of electrodes and a generator in which at least one electrode is placed near the spinal cord;   activating the stimulation device to deliver electrical stimulation to the spinal cord to suppress intrinsic cardiac nerve activity thereby treating sequelae of myocardial ischemia.