METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING OPTIMUM HOLTER ECG READING

• US 20070265538A1
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AMPS, LLC
• Original Assignee: AMPS, LLC
• Inventors: Badilini, Fabio
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts

Abstract

The present invention is for a method and apparatus for extracting optimum ECG data from within a optimum timeperiod. The method and apparatus require setting a timeperiod in which to extract ECG data, setting thresholds for noise, determining a segment with stable heart rate, and to measure the ECG data of the time period. Once the parameters are set and the data is collected, optimum data according to the parameters set by the user are extracted for use and analysis, such that the ECGs that are free from noise and have a stable heart rate are retrieved from the desired timeperiod window. The invention can be used in a software program, may be programmable into a Holter monitors, or as well as applicability in other related monitoring devices.

Claims

1. A method for extracting optimum electrocardiography data comprising the steps of:

providing electrocardiography data;

determining a segment with a stable heart rate on said data;

defining a noise threshold; and

extracting a data point from said electrocardiography data having said stable heart rate and within said noise threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a time period in which to extract said data points.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said time period corresponds to one of the group consisting of a time period:

(a) where there is an expected stable heart rate;

(b) where there is heightened level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(c) where there is minimal level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(d) where there is a predetermined level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(e) where there are set intervals of time; and

(f) any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said electrocardiogram is provided by a portable monitor having continuous or extended recording capabilities.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of repeating said step of extracting a data point wherein said extracted data point is different from said previous extracted data point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said noise threshold requires an amplitude threshold and a time threshold.

7. An apparatus for extracting optimum electrocardiography data comprising:

an ECG recording device; and

a software program capable of;

determining a segment with a stable heart rate;

defining a noise threshold; and

extracting an electrocardiography data points wherein said data points are within said noise threshold and have said stable heart rate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said ECG recording device is an electrocardiograph.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said ECG recording device is a Holter monitor.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said software is programmable into said ECG recording device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said ECG recording device is a Holter monitor having said software programmed into said Holter monitor.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said software further comprises the capability of providing a time period in which to extract said data points.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said time period corresponds to one of the group consisting of a time period:

(a) where there is an expected stable heart rate;

(b) where there is heightened level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(c) where there is minimal level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(d) where there is a predetermined level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(e) where there are set intervals of time; and

(e) any combination thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said ECG recording device produces an output of ECG data and is uploadable into said software program for extracting said data points.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said software further comprises the capability of repeating said extracting of data point wherein each subsequent extracted data point is different from said previous extracted data point.

16. The apparatus of 7 wherein said noise threshold requires an amplitude threshold and a time threshold.

17. A method for extracting electrocardiography data from a stream of data comprising the steps of:

determining a segment with a stable heart rate;

defining a noise threshold; and

extracting electrocardiography data readings in a window proximate a timepoint for a drug trial where the heart rate is stable and the noise is within said noise threshold.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said noise threshold requires an amplitude threshold and a time threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of repeating said step of extracting said electrocardiography data wherein said extracted data is different from said previous extracted data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said time period corresponds to one of the group consisting of a time period:

(a) where there is an expected stable heart rate;

(b) where there is heightened level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(c) where there is minimal level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient;

(d) where there is a predetermined level of drug interaction with or drug absorption by a patient (e) where there are set intervals of time; and

(f) any combination thereof.