The hyperbolic strength-duration relationship of defibrillation threshold.

Defibrillation with square-wave pulses has proved to possess hyperbolic strength-duration relationship. Does such a hyperbolic relation also exist for exponentially decaying pulses as they are commonly used today? This paper hypothesizes that exponentially decaying pulses obey hyperbolic strength-duration relationship, calculates the consequences, and advises of how such thresholds should be investigated. If the strength-duration relationship exists for current, the corresponding charge threshold must be a Weiss' straight threshold line. In analogy, for exponentially decaying pulses, the integral of the amplitude over pulse duration (PD) must be calculated as a function of PD. If this function is linearly correlated, the mean voltage possesses a hyperbolic strength-duration relationship, whereas the peak voltage does not. Peak amplitude curves possess minima shifting to the right with increasing time constant RC limiting the allowed range of useful PDs. To prove that exponentially decaying pulses have a hyperbolic relationship, testing must be done in six steps that are demonstrated with results published in literature. Mean voltages have, indeed, hyperbolic strength-duration relationship. Chronaxie is not calculated correctly as long as peak voltage thresholds are correlated and PDs are greater than allowed.