Abstract: A patient monitoring system for monitoring cardiac arrhythmias includes an ECG monitor configured to monitor cardiac potentials during cardiac cycles and an arterial blood flow monitor configured to monitor arterial blood flow and generate pulse waveform. The system further includes an arrhythmia detection module that detects the presence of an arrhythmia based on the cardiac potentials and generates an arrhythmia indicator, and an arrhythmia analysis module that assesses the severity of the detected arrhythmia. The arrhythmia analysis module calculates average sinus pulse information based on the pulse waveform data for two or more cardiac cycles occurring when no arrhythmia is detected, and then calculates average arrhythmia pulse information based on pulse waveform data for two or more cardiac cycles occurring after detection of the arrhythmia.

Abstract: A patient monitoring system for monitoring cardiac arrhythmias includes an ECG monitor configured to monitor cardiac potentials during cardiac cycles and an arterial blood flow monitor configured to monitor arterial blood flow and generate pulse waveform. The system further includes an arrhythmia detection module that detects the presence of an arrhythmia based on the cardiac potentials and generates an arrhythmia indicator, and an arrhythmia analysis module that assesses the severity of the detected arrhythmia. The arrhythmia analysis module calculates average sinus pulse information based on the pulse waveform data for two or more cardiac cycles occurring when no arrhythmia is detected, and then calculates average arrhythmia pulse information based on pulse waveform data for two or more cardiac cycles occurring after detection of the arrhythmia.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for predicting ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) are disclosed. To provide a mechanism that allows prediction of VTA events efficiently within a few hours before the onset of the actual event, a set of repolarization parameters indicative of ventricular repolarization in a subject's heart is determined in successive time segments, thereby to obtain a time series of the set of repolarization parameters. Based on the time series, at least one change indication variable indicative of changes in the ventricular repolarization of the heart is produced and the risk of potential ventricular tachyarrhythmia is predicted based on the at least one change indication variable. (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A method for controlling alarms in a physiological monitoring apparatus, a physiological monitoring apparatus, and a computer program product for a physiological monitoring apparatus are disclosed. In order to decrease the number of nuisance alarms, the level of a physiological signal obtained from a subject is observed and signal morphology is determined for the physiological signal in response to detecting a change of the level of the physiological signal to a predetermined value range representing low signal values, thereby to obtain reference morphology for the physiological signal. Signal morphology is monitored if the physiological signal remains in the predetermined value range and alarms are suppressed as long as the signal morphology fulfills predefined criteria with respect to the reference morphology and the level of the physiological signal remains in the predetermined value range.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for predicting ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) are disclosed. To provide a mechanism that allows prediction of VTA events efficiently within a few hours before the onset of the actual event, a set of repolarization parameters indicative of ventricular repolarization in a subject's heart is determined in successive time segments, thereby to obtain a time series of the set of repolarization parameters. Based on the time series, at least one change indication variable indicative of changes in the ventricular repolarization of the heart is produced and the risk of potential ventricular tachyarrhythmia is predicted based on the at least one change indication variable.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring clinical state of a subject are disclosed. To provide a mechanism that allows perception of the clinical state of the subject easily and without expertise, an evolution measure is determined for each of a plurality of physiological channel signals acquired from a subject, thereby to obtain a corresponding plurality of channel-specific evolution measures, wherein each channel-specific evolution measure is indicative of development in respective channel signal. Each channel-specific evolution measure is mapped to a plot color, thereby to obtain a channel-specific plot color for each of the plurality of physiological channel signals, wherein the determining and mapping are carried out in successive time windows, thereby to obtain a corresponding plurality of channel-specific plot color sequences, which are presented to a user as an indication of the clinical state of the subject.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject are disclosed. To provide a mechanism that allows perception of the general clinical state of the subject easily and without expertise, a property measure is derived from at least one physiological signal obtained from a subject, wherein each property measure is indicative of a predetermined property of a respective physiological signal in a time window, and wherein the deriving is performed in consecutive time windows, thereby to obtain at least one property measure sequence. At least one indication signal is produced to be presented to a user, wherein the producing comprises determining signal attributes for the at least one indication signal based on the at least one property measure sequence, and the at least one indication signal is presented to the user.

Abstract: A method for controlling alarms in a physiological monitoring apparatus, a physiological monitoring apparatus, and a computer program product for a physiological monitoring apparatus are disclosed. In order to decrease the number of nuisance alarms, the level of a physiological signal obtained from a subject is observed and signal morphology is determined for the physiological signal in response to detecting a change of the level of the physiological signal to a predetermined value range representing low signal values, thereby to obtain reference morphology for the physiological signal. Signal morphology is monitored if the physiological signal remains in the predetermined value range and alarms are suppressed as long as the signal morphology fulfills predefined criteria with respect to the reference morphology and the level of the physiological signal remains in the predetermined value range.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring atrial activation in a patient is provided. In the method, a moment of occurrence and a wave form are predicted for a subsequent P wave based on a sequence of P waves already received in ECG signal data obtained from the patient. The process then checks whether the subsequent P wave really occurs in the ECG signal data within a first time window around the predicted moment of occurrence. If this is the case, the process further monitors whether the P wave is followed by a QRS complex in the ECG signal data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for predicting a sudden heart abnormality for an individual patient. In order to provide a prediction mechanism that is suitable for acute care, three sub-indices are determined based on medical data obtained from the patient. The first sub-index indicates the level of deterministic chaos in the heart rate variability of the patient, the second sub-index indicates the energy level in the myocardium of the patient, and the third sub-index indicates the degree of ventricular arrhythmia of the patient. Based on the first, second, and third sub-indices, at least one overall risk index is then determined, the overall risk index indicating the risk level of a sudden heart abnormality for the patient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring atrial activation in a patient. In the method, a moment of occurrence and a wave form are predicted for a subsequent P wave based on a sequence of P waves already received in ECG signal data obtained from the patient. The process of the invention then checks whether the said subsequent P wave really occurs in the ECG signal data within a first time window around the predicted moment of occurrence. If this is the case, the process further monitors whether the said P wave is followed by a QRS complex in the ECG signal data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for predicting a sudden heart abnormality for an individual patient. In order to provide a prediction mechanism that is suitable for acute care, three sub-indices are determined based on medical data obtained from the patient. The first sub-index indicates the level of deterministic chaos in the heart rate variability of the patient, the second sub-index indicates the energy level in the myocardium of the patient, and the third sub-index indicates the degree of ventricular arrhythmia of the patient. Based on the first, second, and third sub-indices, at least one overall risk index is then determined, the overall risk index indicating the risk level of a sudden heart abnormality for the patient.