Introduction to electrocardiogram signals

Abstract

Every year the leading cause of death among Americans is Coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD typically accountsfor approximately 466,000 deaths each year with half of those deaths occurring before the patient is able to reach a hospital.According to figures by the American Heart Association, patients who experience a full cardiac arrest in an area where EMS responsetimes are long may have only a 1 to 2 percent chance of survival. With effective bystander CPR and prompt response by EMS survivalrates increase to around 30 percent. Through advancements in DSP and portable electronics Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs)now allow for a whole new level of care. Prompt action by trained bystanders has led to survival rates approaching 75 percent in someareas employing Public Access Defibrillators (PADs). Rice University uses AEDs on campus and with their assistance Rice EMShas managed to maintain a survival rate of 60 percent for patients in full cardiac arrest while for the greater Houston area it iscloser to 12 percent.