A MONITOR AND A METHOD FOR MONITORING DIASTOLIC RELAXATION USING IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT

摘要

A monitor for monitoring diastolic relaxation of at least one ventricle of a patient's heart comprises an impedance measurement means (9) including electrode means for measuring an impedance and generating a corresponding impedance signal (Z), detecting means (6) for detecting the occurence of at least one notch in said impedance signal coincident with the entry of blood into at least one ventricle of the heart and detect at least one parameter of said at least one notch. The detecting means comprises a differentiating means (2) to form the time derivative of said impedance signal. A loop creator (5) is connected to said impedance measurement means and to said differentiating means to receive said impedance signal and said time derivative of the impedance signal for plotting impedance values against related time derivative values fto form a loop for each cardiac cycle. A comparator (10) is connected to the loop creator for comparing the loop with a predetermined loop template.