Apparatus for detecting heart characteristics using electrical stimulation.

摘要

Apparatus is described for determining ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT), as a measure of electrocardiac stability. Input from ECG electrodes (10) and optionally also a blood pressure sensor (20) are digitised and fed to a data processing unit (50) that controls the operation of a unit (60) for generating specifically coded pulses used to stimulate the heart. The data processing unit (50) adjusts time location and amplitude of the coded pulses relative to a series of pacing pulses, in order to induce anomalous multiple extrasystoles or ventricular tachycardia, the characteristic ECG waveforms being identified by the apparatus and the data processing unit (50) instructing the signal generating unit (60) to stop stimulation without ventricular fibrillation occurring. The data processing unit is set up to calculate VFT using the amplitude of pulse needed to induce ME/VT, and display the calculated VFT value.