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User question:
Aveir VR Battery Depletion Analysis: Voltage Impact
Aveir VR Battery Depletion Analysis: Voltage Impact
If the battery of Aveir VR has depleted 1/3 in one year with a full time use and 2.5V of output voltage, does it mean that it will be totally depleted in another year with full time use and 3.5V of output voltage?
Key Factors Affecting Battery Drain
Energy per pulse ≈ V² × Pulse Width × Pacing Rate
The most important factor to understand is that energy consumption scales with the square of voltage. This means that increasing voltage has a dramatic effect on battery drain – a small increase in voltage leads to a much larger increase in energy consumption.
Current Usage Analysis (Year 1)
Output Voltage: 2.5V
Pacing Burden: 100% (full-time pacing)
Battery Depletion: ~33% in 1 year
Projected Lifespan: ~3 years at current settings
Proposed Change Impact (Year 2)
New Output Voltage: 3.5V (40% increase from 2.5V)
Pacing Burden: Still 100%
Energy Increase Calculation:
(3.5V / 2.5V)² = (1.4)² = 1.96
→ Energy consumption per pulse increases by ~96% (nearly doubles)
Battery Depletion Estimation
Timeframe
Voltage
Depletion Rate
Battery Status
Year 1
2.5V
33% per year
33% used, 67% remaining
Year 2
3.5V
~66% per year (2× faster)
Likely fully depleted
Real-World Considerations
Battery Non-Linearity: Lithium-iodine batteries commonly used in pacemakers may not deplete linearly, especially under high loads.
Threshold Testing: If voltage was increased due to rising capture thresholds (possibly from fibrosis), actual current draw may exceed theoretical calculations.
Pulse Width Adjustments: If pulse width was also increased alongside voltage, energy consumption would be even higher.
Conclusion
Yes, the battery will likely deplete entirely within another year if:
Output voltage increases from 2.5V to 3.5V (doubling energy use)
Pacing burden remains at 100%
No other settings are optimized to compensate
Recommended Actions
Verify Capture Thresholds: Check if 3.5V is truly necessary (could auto-capture algorithms help optimize the voltage?)
Consider Reprogramming: Even a 0.5V reduction in output voltage could significantly extend battery life
Schedule Follow-Up: Discuss with your electrophysiology team or Abbott representative—leadless pacemakers cannot have their batteries replaced, so proactive management is critical