Interbeat interval monitoring and ectopic beat removal

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for ambulatory, real-time detection of removal of ectopic beats by obtaining consecutive patient heartbeats, and recognizing an ectopic beat by detecting a signature short-long sequence in an interbeat interval of the obtained heartbeats, with the signature short-long sequence including an ectopic coupling interval followed by a compensatory pause between RR intervals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for removal of ectopic beats, the method comprising:
 obtaining consecutive patient heartbeats; and   recognizing an ectopic beat by detecting a signature short-long sequence in an interbeat interval of the obtained heartbeats,   wherein the signature short-long sequence comprises an ectopic coupling interval followed by a compensatory pause between RR intervals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ectopic beats and an associated compensatory pause are excluded from the obtained consecutive patient heartbeats to create a clean time series. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the compensatory pause is longer than the ectopic coupling interval. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising computing a ratio of RR[i]/RR[i−1] for each interbeat interval, wherein RR[i] is an ectopic beat interval. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a sinus rhythm is identified when the computed ratio is near unity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a compensatory pause (RR[i+1]) following a premature interbeat interval (RR[i]) is detected by:
 RR[i−1]>RR[i]<RR[i+1], and   RR[i]<RR[i+1]>RR[i+2],   wherein RR[i] is an ectopic beat interval.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the consecutive patient heartbeats are obtained from an Atrial fibrillation analysis.