Patent ID: 6656126
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of assessing cardiac isehemia in a subject to provide a measure of cardiac or cardiovascular health in that subject, said method comprising the steps of:(a) collecting a first RR- interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually increasing heart rate; (b) collecting a second RR- interval data set from said subject during a stage of gradually decreasing heart rate, with said first and second RR- interval data sets being collected while minimizing the influence of rapid transients due to autonomic nervous system and hormonal influence on said data sets; (c) comparing said first RR- interval data set to said second RR- interval data set to determine the difference between said data sets; and (d) generating from said comparison of step (c) a measure of cardiac ischemia in said subject, wherein a greater difference between said first and second data sets indicates greater cardiac ischemia and lesser cardiac or cardiovascular health in said subject; wherein said first and second RR- interval data sets are collected by pulse or blood pressure monitoring.