A Computer System for Real Time Analysis of Cardiac Catheterization Data

Abstract

In the past three decades the cardiac catheter has provided ever increasing opportunities for the study of circulatory physiology (1,2). As experience was gained, additional procedures were introduced so that at present all chambers of the heart and most arterial and venous vessels are accessable for study. At the same time technological development of transducers, oximeters, densitometers and X-ray methods kept pace and provided more accurate measurements. With these developments, the collection and handling of reliable data out of the many signals became increasingly complex. The reduction of the raw data to relevant information and the derivation and interpretation of the calculated information became more and more a time-consuming and yet tedious effort.As data compression and complex calculations may be performed more rapidly and accurately by a computer than by the scientist, the introduction of a digital computer in the catheterization laboratory was only a matter of time. Since the original contribution by Henry (3) in 1968, reports have been published (4,5,6,7,8) about the application of the digital computer in the catheterization

The haemodynamic effect of intravenous flecainide acetate in patients with coronary artery disease.

“…Data (Meester et al, 1974(Meester et al, , 1975Stenson et al, 1968 (6) dP/dt/P extrapolated to P = 0 mm Hg total pressure using a linear least squares fit from peak dP/dt/P to begin ejection, (Vmax) in s-1. In order to assess reproducibility, APST was carried out twice in these 10 patients.…”

The haemodynamic and myocardial effects of dopexamine: a new beta 2‐ adrenoceptor and dopaminergic agonist.

“…In order to assess effects independent of changes in heart rate, comparisons were made at both spontaneous heart rate and at one of a range of pacing rates individually matched to the heart rate following dopexamine administration. Left ventricular pressure was analyzed using a previously described on-line system to determine the following parameters (Meester et al, 1974(Meester et al, , 1975 (Brower et al, 1983 Ao/CO and total pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was calculated as 80 x PA/CO. Dopexamine blood concentration at the end of the ten minute infusion was measured by h.p.l.c.…”

Recovery from Circulatory Depression after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

“…Cardiac output was determined by the thermodilution technique. Left ventricular pressure was recorded by tip manometry, and Vmax, using an on-line computer system (Meester et al, 1975;Brower et al. 1977), was used to estimate the contractile state.…”