Computer recognition of cardiac arrhythmias.

The current status of systems for computer recognition of cardiac arrhythmias for routine clinical electrocardiography and for rhythm monitoring has been presented. The goal is to approach the pattern recognition capabilities of the human observer and to add the advantages of the computational prowess and indefatigability of the digital computer. The accuracy of the methods obviously depends on the population studied; excellent results in screening of normals contrast with poorer achievement in patients with complex arrhythmias. The other factors involved include high quality (noise-free) ECG recordings, parameter measurement accuracy, the degree of program sophistication, and the role of human intervention in the various systems. The future looks extremely promising for both computer applications for ECG arrhythmia analysis. The important factors to be considered have been presented at the Tenth Bethesda Conference on "Optimal Electrocardiography" in April 1977. The establishment of "gold standard" tapes for both routine and monitored ECG recordings will provide vital data for evaluation of all systems. There is an ongoing, constant upgrading of recording and computer equipment, data transmission methods, and program sophistication together with continual cost reduction. With this rapid progress, computer analysis of cardiac arrhythmias can be expected to achieve routine application in our cardiologic diagnostic armamentarium.