Algorithms for improved detection of supraventricular arrhythmias

A postprocessing system used for the detection of a subset of supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA), supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (SVTA) and atrial premature beats (APBs), is described. A particularly difficult set of records is selected from a newly created SVA database SVA detection strategies which incorporate criteria based on examining R-R interval statistics in a wider context (`retrospective analysis´) in order to identify isolated APBs more accurately are studied. Other strategies which use explicit `look-ahead´ criteria to find runs of SVTA are also studied. The `retrospective analysis´ algorithm yields a modest increase in APC sensitivity (to 44%), offset by a decrease in positive predictivity (to 91%). Applying the `look ahead´ algorithm to the output of the `retrospective analysis´ algorithm makes the APC sensitivity 78%, with 91% positive predictivity