CREI-GARD, A NEW CONCEPT IN COMPUTERIZED ARRHYTHMIA MONITORING SYSTEMS.

CREI-GARD is a computer system developed for inpatient ECG monitoring. The system is used to provide real-time data on the frequencies and types of ventricular arrhythmias and to document the occurrences of other arrhythmias. The system is centrally operated by arrhythmia monitoring technicians and covers 61 beds. The technicians review ECG event strips on a graphics display screen to verify premature ventricular contraction (PVC) shapes, other QRS shapes, PVC pairs, runs of ventricular tachycardia (VT), high and low heart rates, high PVC rates, pauses, and other arrhythmia events. False positive events due to artifact and other causes are discarded. Innovative features include displaying an accurate grid with ECG events, sequencing two or more events for long rhythm strips, and recovering any segment of continuous ECG occurring within the last half hour for any patient. The current system has 17 computer assemblies and uses an Ethernet for data transmission. Although comprehensive performance testing has not yet begun, a test performed for developmental purposes shows good results detecting ventricular arrhythmias in the presence of artificial pacemaker rhythm.

Duke Scholars

Author Michael Hugh Sketch Jr. Medicine, Cardiology