LV ectopic density trending

• US 6,718,197 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Spinelli, Julio C., Carlson, Gerrard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/704,844
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 600/516, 600/519, 600/521, 600/515, 128/903, 607/30-32, 607/60
• US Class Current: 600/515
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats

Abstract

Ectopic beat activity detection of the human heart is monitored by time interval measurements of depolarizations in the heart. The intervals between beats are categorized as being long beats, short beats or normal beats. Then the sequence of categories of beats is analyzed to determine the types of ectopic beats occurring and to count such occurrences and display such information to a health care provider to help monitor, diagnose and treat patients. For patients with pacemakers installed the information can be used to adjust pacemaker settings. The information may also be used to alert the health care providers to dangerous patterns indicating serious conditions which need immediate treatment.

Claims

1. A method of detecting ectopic beats, comprising:

determining time intervals between depolarizations;

calculating a trending curve for the time interval between depolarizations;

setting an upper threshold and a lower threshold relative to the trending curve;

comparing the time intervals between the depolarizations to the thresholds;

classifying the time intervals between the depolarizations relative to the thresholds as one of a long beat, a normal beat and a short beat; and

recording each time interval as one of a long beat, a normal beat and a short beat.

2. A method, as in claim 1, wherein, the trending curve is calculated using a moving window median.

3. A method, as in claim 1, wherein determining time intervals between depolarizations, comprises:

sensing detecting the time of depolarizations in the heart; and

calculating the time interval between the depolarizations.

4. A method, as in claim 1, wherein the beats are recorded as a sequence.

5. A method, as in claim 4, wherein the sequence of long, normal and short beats to identify types of ectopic beat activity.

6. A method, as in claim 5, further comprising counting the number of occurrences of each type of sequence that identifies a type of ectopic beat activity.

7. A method, as in claim 6, further comprising resetting the counter for the number of occurrences of each type of sequence that identifies a type of ectopic beat activity every 24 hours.

8. A method, as in claim 4, further comprising graphically displaying the number of occurrences of each type of sequence that identifies a type of ectopic beat activity for observation by a health care provider to aid in detecting the well being of the patient.

9. A method, as in claim 1, further comprising displaying the depolarization interval times for observation by a health care provider to aid in detecting the well being of the patient.

10. A method, as in claim 1, further comprising calculating a histogram having axes of, heart beat intervals, beat to beat differences, a logarithmic frequency of occurrence.

11. A method, as in claim 10, further comprising displaying a histogram based on the calculations of the histogram.

12. A method, as in claim 1, further comprising:

determining the heart rate by the detected depolarizations of the heart; and

displaying one of an ectoprint and ectogram of the occurrence of ectopic beats as a function of heart rate.

13. A method of detecting ectopic beats, comprising:

a step for measuring time intervals between depolarizations;

a step for classifying the time intervals between the depolarizations one of a long beat, a normal beat and a short beat; and

a step for identifying a series of beats as a pattern of long, normal and short beats to identify ectopic events.

14. A medical device, comprising:

a means for sensing the depolarizations of a heart;

a means for processing time intervals between depolarizations to detect and categorize the ectopic activity.