This document provides methods and materials for modulating afferent nerve signals to treat medical conditions such as CHF, CHF respiration, dyspnea, peripheral vascular disease (e.g., peripheral arterial disease or venous insufficiency), hypertension (e.g., age-associated hypertension, resistant hypertension, or chronic refractory hypertension), COPD, sleep apnea, and chronic forms of lung disease where muscle dysfunction is a part of the disease pathophysiology. For example, methods and materials involved in using electrical and/or chemical techniques to block or reduce afferent nerve signals (e.g., nerve signals of group III and/or IV afferents coming from skeletal muscle and/or the kidneys) are provided.

An example of a system includes a blood pressure modulation device and a controller. The blood pressure modulation device may be configured to deliver a therapy to chronically maintain blood pressure within a prescribed range. The blood pressure modulation device may include a neuromodulator configured to deliver neuromodulation energy to neural tissue in a spinal cord or near the spinal cord using a first parameter set. The controller may include analyzer circuitry configured to determine an actual or anticipated blood pressure demand event indicated for a blood pressure change, and therapy parameter adjuster circuitry configured to respond to the actual or anticipated blood pressure demand event by delivering neuromodulation energy using a second parameter set to change the blood pressure.

System and method for locating and identifying nerves innervating the wall of arteries such as the renal artery are disclosed. The present invention identifies areas on vessel walls that are innervated with nerves; provides indication on whether energy is delivered accurately to a targeted nerve; and provides immediate post-procedural assessment of the effect of energy delivered to the nerve. The method includes at least the steps to evaluate a change in physiological parameters after energy is delivered to an arterial wall; and to determine the type of nerve that the energy was directed to (none, sympathetic or parasympathetic) based on the evaluated results. The system includes at least a device for delivering energy to the wall of blood vessel; sensors for detecting physiological signals from a subject; and indicators to display results obtained using this method. Also provided are catheters for performing the mapping and ablating functions.

A blood pressure controlling apparatus includes an acquiring part configured to acquire biological information indicating blood pressure of a subject, a producing part configured to produce a frequency modulated pulse train on the basis of the biological information, and a supplying part configured to supply an electrical current on the basis of the frequency modulated pulse train, to an electrode attached on the subject. The electrical current stimulates baroreceptor afferent nerves of the subject.

Apparatus (20) is provided, including a bifurcation stent (50) comprising one or more electrodes (32), the stent (50) configured to be placed in a primary passage (52) and a secondary passage (54) of a blood vessel (30), and a control unit (34), configured to drive the electrodes (32) to apply a signal to a wall (36) of the blood vessel (30), and to configure the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall (36). Other embodiments are also described.

Generally discussed herein are systems, devices, and methods for providing a therapy (e.g., stimulation) and/or data signal using an implantable device. Systems, devices and methods for interacting with (e.g., communicating with, receiving power from) an external device are also provided.

This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to generate a first pacing waveform during a first pacing period and a second pacing waveform during a second pacing period, and alternate the first and second pacing periods to provide pacing-based hypertension therapy to a heart of a patient to reduce patient blood pressure, wherein the first pacing waveform has a first atrioventricular (AV) delay and the second pacing waveform has a second AV delay longer than the first AV delay. Physiologic information can be received from the patient, and one of the first or second pacing period for delivery to the patient can be determined using the received physiologic information.

A system for neuromodulation or neurostimulation comprising at least one sensing unit configured to provide a sensor signal correlating with a physiological value describing neurological function or dysfunction of a patient, at least one control unit, at least one stimulation unit, and at least one of at least one Central Nervous System stimulation module for providing Central Nervous System stimulation or at least one Peripheral Nervous System stimulation module for providing Peripheral Nervous System stimulation, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the neurological dysfunction based on the sensor signal and to trigger the neuromodulation or neurostimulation. The disclosure further relates to a method for providing neuromodulation or neurostimulation and the use of a neuromodulation system in the method for the treatment of a patient.

A closed loop system for control of spinal cord epidural stimulation includes a second controller hosting software for receiving, from at least one sensor, physiological data from a subject, generating a stimulation configuration based on the data, and transmitting the configuration to a first controller which operatively causes a neurostimulator to apply the stimulation configuration to the subject, the physiological results of such stimulation are monitored by the at least one sensor.

A system for neuromodulation and/or neurostimulation, for the treatment of a mammal, at least comprising: at least one control unit configured and arranged to provide stimulation data; at least one stimulation unit configured and arranged to provide a stimulation pulse; at least one real-time monitoring unit; at least one signal-processing unit;

wherein the system is configured and arranged for control of blood pressure,

wherein the stimulation unit is constructed to comprise a lead, and wherein the lead is capable and configured to provide stimulation to the spinal cord at level T9-L1.