Electrocardiogram device and methods

• US 10,342,449 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ventrilink Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ventrilink Corporation
• Inventors: Baumann, Eric, Korzinov, Lev, Churchville, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US16/114,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20190008406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/361 Detecting fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Devices and methods are described that provide improved diagnosis from the processing of physiological data. The methods include use of multiple algorithms and intelligently combing the results of multiple algorithms to provide a single optimized diagnostic result. The algorithms are adaptive and may be customized for particular data sets or for particular patients. Examples are shown with applications to electrocardiogram data, but the methods taught are applicable to many types of physiological data.

Claims

1. A method for the analysis of electrocardiogram data acquired from a patient that outputs a diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health, said method comprising:

a) acquiring a first set of electrocardiogram data during a first time period, by fitting electrocardiogram sensors to the patient, the sensors connected to an analog to digital converter, and, the sensors acquiring a voltage signal from the patient that is digitized by the analog to digital converter and stored in computer readable memory, the digitized, stored signal is the first set of electrocardiogram data, and,

b) analyzing the first set of electrocardiogram data with an arrhythmia algorithm having a plurality of input parameters,

c) wherein the plurality of input parameters are varied and found to present a set of different health diagnoses when varied and the arrhythmia algorithm is applied to the first set of electrocardiogram data,

d) comparing the set of different health diagnoses, with a true diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the first time period,

e) selecting an updated set of the plurality of input parameters on the basis of being the set of input parameters wherein the health diagnosis produced by the algorithm when using the updated set of the plurality of input parameters most nearly matched the true diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the first time period, and,

f) acquiring a second set of electrocardiogram data during a second time period, and,

g) analyzing the second set of electrocardiogram data with the arrhythmia algorithm using the updated plurality of input parameters producing a diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the second time period, and,

h) outputting the diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the second time period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the set of different health diagnoses, with a true diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the first time period and the updated set of the plurality of input parameters are selected by a technician review, said technician located remote from the patient.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the updated set of the plurality of input parameters are optimized for a subset of other patients where certain similarity of physiological data with the patient, is observed.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein reviewing the diagnosis results further includes data extrinsic to the electrocardiogram data in the technician review to select the updated set of the plurality of input parameters, wherein the extrinsic data is one selected from:

a) recent medication of the patient, and,

b) physical position of the patient, and,

c) whether the patient is fit with a pacemaker.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of input parameters include at least one selected from:

a threshold alarm limit on the patient'"'"'s heart rate, whether a P wave is detected in the first set of electrocardiogram data, values for the integrated area under the P wave in the first set of electrocardiogram data, and, number of consecutive heart beats to be included in the analysis.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein comparing the set of different health diagnoses, with a true diagnosis of the patient'"'"'s health during the first time period and the updated set of the plurality of input parameters are selected by a technician review, said technician located remote from the patient.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the updated set of the plurality of input parameters are optimized for a subset of other patients where certain similarity of physiological data is observed.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein reviewing the diagnosis results further includes data extrinsic to the electrocardiogram data in the technician review to select the updated set of the plurality of input parameters, wherein the extrinsic data is one selected from:

a) recent medication of the patient, and,

b) physical position of the patient, and,

c) whether the patient is fit with a pacemaker.