Computerized interpretation of the paced ECG.

Analysis of the paced electrocardiogram (ECG) is important to the follow-up evaluation of patients with implanted pacemakers. Because of the complexity and variability of pacemaker algorithms, diagnosis of paced ECGs is often considerably more difficult than the interpretation of usual ECGs. Automated interpretation of the paced ECG can provide great clinical benefit because few clinicians are adequately trained in the diagnosis of such ECGs for the interpretation of pacemaker functionality. However, comparatively little work has been done in this area, mainly because the diversity and complexity of pacemaker logic makes interpretation, automated or manual, a difficult task. The following paper reviews research in computer interpretation of the pacemaker ECG and presents a new automated method which yields more detailed and accurate results than any previous technique.