Real-time acquisition and analysis of cardiac action potentials and twitches using a programmable digitizer and a microcomputer.

Action potentials and single twitches from papillary muscles were acquired and analyzed in real-time using a programmable digitizer and a microcomputer. This combination provides greater control and flexibility during data acquisition than standard analog-to-digital converters. The present system was designed to facilitate evaluation of experimental drugs. However, the combination of a programmable digitizer and a laboratory microcomputer can be applied to a variety of applications in biomedical research.