Method and apparatus for automatic detection and treatment of ventricular fibrillation
First Claim
1. Ventricular fibrillation detector comprising, electrode means for application to a patient'"'"'s chest,means coupled to said electrodes for producing an electrocardioggram waveform of the patient'"'"'s heart,electrical circuit means forming a library of features of known electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions,electrical circuit means for comparing the electrocardiogram waveform of said patient against said library of features of known known electrocardiogram waveform characteristic of various heart conditions, andindicator means for indicating the absence of all of said stored characteristics in said electrocardiogram of the patient'"'"'s heart as ventricular fibrillation.
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Abstract
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is detected by comparing the electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform of the patient'"'"'s heart against a stored library of compilation of waveform characteristics of various heart conditions as recorded by an ECG. Since the waveform for ventricular fibrillation of arrythmias are completely unformed compexes, disorganized and irregular, the presence or absence of any of the stored or library features in the patient ECG is used as the criteria for diagnosing VF and automatically subjecting the patient to a prescribed electroshock therapy.
76 Citations
13 Claims
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1. Ventricular fibrillation detector comprising, electrode means for application to a patient'"'"'s chest,
means coupled to said electrodes for producing an electrocardioggram waveform of the patient'"'"'s heart, electrical circuit means forming a library of features of known electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions, electrical circuit means for comparing the electrocardiogram waveform of said patient against said library of features of known known electrocardiogram waveform characteristic of various heart conditions, and indicator means for indicating the absence of all of said stored characteristics in said electrocardiogram of the patient'"'"'s heart as ventricular fibrillation.
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3. An automatic defibrillator comprising,
electrode means for application to a patient'"'"'s chest, means for storing a plurality of known electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions, means coupled to said electrodes for producing an electrocardiogram waveform of the patient'"'"'s heart, electrical circuit means for comparing the electrocardiogram waveform of said patient against each stored characteristic, circuit means electrically coupled to said means for comparing for determining the absence of all stored electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions in the electrocardiogram of said patient, defibrillator means electrically coupled to said electrodes, and means for causing said defibrillator means to apply defibrillating electrical energy to said patient via said electrodes upon said circuit means detecting the absence of all stored electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions in said patient'"'"'s electrocardiogram.
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12. A method of treating ventricular fibrillation in a patient, comprising,
storing a plurality of electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions, applying electrodes to said patient and producing an electrocardiogram waveform, comparing the electrocardiogram waveform of the patient against each stored characteristic to detect the absence of all stored electrocardiogram waveform characteristics of various heart conditions in the patient'"'"'s electrocardiogram and, only upon detecting the absence of all of said stored characteristics, administering corrective electrical impulses to said patient'"'"'s heart.
Specification