Method and apparatus for determining metabolic factors from an electrocardiogram

• US 6,920,348 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel Y. Vasin, Nataliya A. Vasin
• Original Assignee: Eugene V. Vasin
• Inventors: Gelfenbain, Alexander, Vasin, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US10/364,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 600509-521
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7239 using differentiation including higher order derivatives

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for determining metabolic factors using electrocardiogram measurements from a person'"'"'s Wilson points. A first derivative of an electrocardiogram measurement is calculated. A ratio is calculated of the absolute value of the positive spike of the first derivative to the sum of the absolute values of the positive and negative spikes. In some embodiments, the ratio is multiplied by a constant to determine a metabolic factors. Further operations may be performed on the ratio to determine other metabolic factors. In some embodiments, a garment is provided for easily locating Wilson points. Methods and devices are provided for taking and processing EGC measurements to determine metabolic factors and for using the metabolic factors to optimize an exercise program.

Claims

1. A non-invasive method for determining a metabolic factor, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first derivative of an electrocardiogram measurement;

determining R_x, an absolute value of a positive spike of the first derivative;

determining RS_x, a sum of absolute values of the positive and negative spikes of the first derivative; and

dividing R_x by RS_x to determine V_x, a number proportional to the metabolic factor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of multiplying V_x by a constant to determine the metabolic factor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V6 Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is aerobic capacity; and

the constant is approximately 120.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V2 Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is lactacidemia; and

the constant is approximately 30.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V3R Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is phosphocreatine capacity; and

the constant is approximately 115.

6. An apparatus for determining metabolic factors from electrocardiogram measurements, comprising:

means for obtaining a first derivative of an electrocardiogram measurement;

means for determining R_x, an absolute value of a positive spike of the first derivative;

means for determining RS_x, a sum of absolute values of the positive and negative spikes of the first derivative; and

means for dividing R_x by RS_x to determine V_x, a number proportional to the metabolic factor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for multiplying V_x by a constant to determine the metabolic factor.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for obtaining the first derivative comprises a processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for obtaining the first derivative comprises a circuit to which an electrocardiogram measurement is input and which outputs the first derivative of the electrocardiogram measurement.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for converting analog signals from the electrocardiogram unit into digital form.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising display means.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising communication means for communicating with one or more devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V6 Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is aerobic capacity; and

the constant is approximately 120.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V2 Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is lactacidemia; and

the constant is approximately 30.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the electrocardiogram measurement is taken from the V3R Wilson point;

the metabolic factor is phosphocreatine capacity; and

the constant is approximately 115.

16. An apparatus for determining metabolic factors from electrocardiogram measurements, comprising:

an input for receiving signals from an electrocardiogram unit;

a processor for executing one or more software programs to determine R₂, R₆, RS₂ and RS₆, for calculating V₂ and V₆, and for performing an operation on V₂ and V₆ to determine the metabolic factor; and

a memory for storing the software programs, wherein;

R₂ is an absolute value of a positive spike of a first derivative of an electrocardiogram measurement of a V2 Wilson point;

RS₂ is a sum of absolute values of the positive and negative spikes of the first derivative of the electrocardiogram measurement of the V2 Wilson point;

R₆ is an absolute value of the positive spike of a first derivative of an electrocardiogram measurement of a V6 Wilson point;

RS₆ is the sum of absolute values of the positive and negative spikes of the first derivative of the electrocardiogram measurement of the V6 Wilson point;

V₂ equals R₂ divided by RS₂; and

V₆ equals R₆ divided by RS₆.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an analog-to-digital unit for converting analog signals from the electrocardiogram unit into digital form.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a display unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the metabolic factor is metabolic power at an anaerobic threshold (W_AnT); and

the operation comprises dividing V₆ by the sum of V₆ and V₂.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor also determines a heart rate at an anaerobic threshold and wherein the operation further comprises adding W_AnT, V₆ and V₂.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor also determines a heart rate at an aerobic threshold and wherein the operation comprises:

multiplying W_AnT and V₆;

dividing the result of the multiplying step by 100; and

adding V₂ and W_AnT to the result of the dividing step.