Multi-Function Health Monitor

Abstract

A multi-function health monitor is capable of performing a resting 12-lead ECG test, an ECG stress test, a 24-hour holter monitor evaluation and or a 30-day MCT monitoring. Using only 3 electrodes, the multifunction health monitor derives 6 channels (Limb leads & Augmented leads) of data with the noise cancellation (ground) effect of a virtual dynamic RL electrode. An electrode resistivity measurement system quantifies and may compensate for increasing resistance the electrodes and the patient that results from the length of time the electrodes are installed on a patient. The multi-function health monitor can provide data analysis through the gate array as the data is acquired. Data may also be stored for remote analysis as well as for transmission to remote stations upon occurrence of one or more threshold events. Parameters for threshold events may be adjusted remotely to obviate the need for a patient to travel for system adjustment.

1 . A remote ambulatory cardiac monitoring system comprising:
 microprocessor for controlling interactions with external devices;   a hardware gate array for controlling acquisition of ECG signals and other data and analysis of data as it is acquired;   a cable connector operably connected to the microprocessor for engaging a plurality of different input/output cables, insertion of each of the plurality of input/output cables causes the microprocessor to initiate one of a plurality of different modes from the remote ambulatory cardiac monitoring system;   a plurality of electrodes secured to a patient, each electrode operably connected to at least one of the plurality of input/output cables for sensing ECG signals from a patient; and   means for quantifying resistance changes between each of the one or more of the plurality of electrodes and the patient during acquisition of the ECG signals.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mode initiated by the connection of one of the plurality of different input/output cables is selected from the group of modes including:
 12-lead EKG mode, Holter recorder mode, MCT mode, and USB data transfer mode. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mode initiated by the connection of one of the plurality of different input/output cables is MCT mode. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mode initiated by the connection of one of the plurality of different input/output cables is selected from the group of modes including:
 12-lead EKG mode and Holter recorder mode. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the means for quantifying resistance changes is operable to detect when one or more of the plurality of electrodes is not secured to the patient and upon detection of one or more electrodes not secured, the means for quantifying resistance changes initiates an alarm signal. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 means for cross checking alarm triggers before initiating an alarm using one or more alternate data channels, where the one or more alternate data channels did not initiate the alarm trigger. 
 
     
     
         7 . A mobile cardiac telemetry system comprising:
 microprocessor for controlling interactions with external devices;   a hardware gate array for controlling acquisition and analysis of ECG signals and other data;   a cable connector operably connected to the microprocessor for engaging a plurality of different input/output cables, insertion of each of the plurality of input/output cables causes the microprocessor to initiate one of a plurality of different modes from the remote ambulatory cardiac monitoring system;   no more than three electrodes secured to a patient, each of the electrodes operably connected to one of the plurality of input/output cables for sensing ECG signals from a patient;   means for quantifying resistance changes between one or more of the electrodes and the patient during data acquisition; and   means for sequentially processing ECG signals from the electrodes to generate six channels of data and a noise cancellation signal to feed back to the electrodes.