An implanted device-implemented method of detecting and monitoring congestive heart failure in a patient includes performing ongoing measurements of changes in local impedance of a portion of the patients body between at least two electrodes on the exterior of the implanted device, the changes representing ventilation of the patient, and including measuring the patients respiratory rate and respiratory amplitude. A body-implantable device is adapted to detect and monitor congestive heart failure in a patient, and includes a circuit module coupled to plural surface electrodes of the device arranged and adapted, when the device is implanted, for contacting tissue in a portion of the patients body generally occupied by the lungs, to monitor changes in local impedance of said body portion, and to detect the patients EKG.
