Apparatus for identifying the circulatory effects of extrasystoles

• US 6,571,120 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG), Cortronik Mess-Und Therapiegerate GmbH
• Original Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Hutten, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIEKER, AMANDA F
• Application Number:
  US09/737,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 600/508, 600/509, 600/513, 600/515
• US Class Current: 600/515
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/35 by template matching
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats

Abstract

A cardiological device having a sensor, adapted to pick up at least one cardiac signal, and a signal processor including a first detector connected to the sensor, adapted to detect an individual signal or a feature parameter of the cardiac signal, wherein the signal processor further includes an averager connected to the first detector, for forming an average over a plurality of values of the feature parameter or over a plurality of individual signals, a second detector connected to the sensor, adapted to detect cardiological events, in particular extrasystoles, and a first comparator that is connected to the second detector, the averager and the first detector and which are adapted to determine a deviation of a feature parameter or individual signal ascertained in immediate time relationship with an event such as an extrasystole, from the corresponding average.

Claims

1. A cardiological device comprising:

a sensor for picking up at least one cardiac signal, and

a means for processing a signal including a first means for detecting an individual signal or a feature parameter of the cardiac signal connected to the sensor,

wherein the signal processing means further comprises;

means for averaging connected to the first detection means, for forming an average over a plurality of values of the feature parameter or over a plurality of individual signals,

a second means for detecting cardiological events, connected to the sensor, and

a first means for comparing and determining a deviation of a feature parameter or individual signal ascertained in immediate time relationship with at least one cordiological event such as an extrasystole or a sequence of extrasystoles, from the corresponding average, connected to the second detection means, the averaging means and the first detection means.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 characterized by:

a second comparison means connected to the first comparison means, for comparing the deviation to a limit value, and

a signal means connected to the second comparison means, for outputting a signal when the difference exceeds the limit value.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a means for ascertaining a dispersion value for the feature parameter or parameters, connected to the first detection means.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a means for forming a limit value on the basis of the dispersion value, connected to the dispersion value ascertaining means.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a means for inhibiting that is connected to the second detection means and to the averaging means such that at least one individual signal occurring in immediate time relationship with a cardiological event such as an extrasystole or a corresponding feature parameter is not involved in the averaging operation.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first comparison means compares feature parameters or individual signals ascertained immediately after a cardiological event such as an extrasystole to the corresponding average.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the averaging means continuously effects the averaging operation based on a time assessment function which can be set as desired.

8. The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first detection means determines the feature parameter or parameters respectively within a predeterminable interval.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8 characterized in that the first detection means is connected to the dispersion value ascertaining means such that the first detection means determines the interval by a threshold value derived from the dispersion value.

10. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feature parameter or the feature parameters detected by the first detection means are:

the heart rate, measured from one signal maximum to the next or from one zero-passage to the next zero-passage of the same kind, the signal maximum or the cross-correlation coefficient of successive individual signals or a combination of those feature parameters.

11. The device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a means for ascertaining a dispersion value for the feature parameter or parameters, connected to the first detection means.

12. The device as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a means for forming a limit value on the basis of the dispersion value, connected to the dispersion value ascertaining means.

13. The device as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a means for inhibiting that is connected to the second detection means and to the averaging means such that at least one individual signal occurring in immediate time relationship with a cardiological event such as an extrasystole or a corresponding feature parameter is not involved in the averaging operation.

14. The device as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a means for inhibiting that is connected to the second detection means and to the averaging means such that at least one individual signal occurring in immediate time relationship with a cardiological event such as an extrasystole or a corresponding feature parameter is not involved in the averaging operation.

15. The device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a means for inhibiting that is connected to the second detection means and to the averaging means such that at least one individual signal occurring in immediate time relationship with a cardiological event such as an extrasystole or a corresponding feature parameter is not involved in the averaging operation.

16. The device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first comparison means compares feature parameters or individual signals ascertained immediately after a cardiological event such as an extrasystole to the corresponding average.

17. The device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first comparison means compares feature parameters or individual signals ascertained immediately after a cardiological event such as an extrasystole to the corresponding average.

18. The device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the averaging means continuously effects the averaging operation based on a time assessment function which can be set as desired.

19. The device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the averaging means continuously effects the averaging operation based on a time assessment function which can be set as desired.

20. The device as set forth in claim 18, wherein the first detection means determines the feature parameter or parameters respectively within a predeterminable interval.

21. The device as set forth in claim 20 characterized in that the first detection means is connected to the dispersion value ascertaining means such that the first detection means determines the interval by a threshold value derived from the dispersion value.

22. The device as set forth in claim 21, wherein the feature parameter or the feature parameters detected by the first detection means are:

the heart rate, measured from one signal maximum to the next or from one zero-passage to the next zero-passage of the same kind, the signal maximum or the cross-correlation coefficient of successive individual signals or a combination of those feature parameters.