Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for identifying and correctly responding to abnormal heart activity

US5797399A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
0References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 19, 1996
Grant dateAug 25, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 19, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S128/92
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A pattern recognition system for use in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator that is capable of responding correctively to abnormal activity of the heart efficiently and specifically. The system of the present invention first establishes a template standard defining a median or other statistical measure of central tendency representing the point above which or below which actual sample values would be remarkable. Against the median are compared sampled values within a window having a pre-programmed length. For each cycle, a comparison is made between the template median and every value sampled within this pre-programmed window. Each cycle is then individually diagnosed such that if a selected value is above a particular pre-established threshold or below a particular pre-established threshold it will be classified as abnormal. A plurality of specific cycles must be classified abnormal in order for a final diagnosis to be made that the individual is experiencing arrhythmia. The system of the present invention is also capable of differentiating between types of abnormal and can classify the abnormal as being either ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.