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Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a pacemaker pulse in an electrocardiogram signal (ECG signal) from characteristic artifacts introduced into said ECG signal by the filtering process to allow identification and removal of the pacemaker pulse from the ECG signal. Upon detection of the pacemaker event, the amplitude threshold used in the detection of the QRS complex is raised to a higher level following the pacemaker pulse so that the characteristic artifacts do not exceed the threshold. The amplitude threshold is decayed to the normal QRS threshold level over a time interval determined in accordance with the characteristics of the filter which introduced the artifacts so that the artifacts will remain below the amplitude threshold. This technique is desired since prior art techniques requiring removal of the pacemaker pulse and any artifacts associated with the pacemaker pulse before QRS complex detection also remove any QRS complexes occurring in the blanking window. By using a variable threshold, the amplitude of the QRS complex will exceed the threshold while the artifacts caused by the pacemaker pulse will remain below the threshold so that no blanking is necessary.

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First Claim