ST/AR Arrhythmia Algorithm
7-4 ST/AR Arrhythmia Monitoring
WarningWarning
For paced patients who exhibit only intrinsic rhythm, the monitor can
erroneously count pace pulses as QRS complexes when the algorithm first
encounters them, resulting in missed detection of cardiac arrest. The risk of
missing cardiac arrest can be reduced by monitoring these patients with the
low heart rate limit at or slightly above the basic/demand pacemaker rate.
A low heart rate alarm alarms you when the patient begins pacing. Proper
detection and classification of the paced rhythm can then be determined.
WarningWarning
When an external pacemaker is being used on a patient, arrhythmia
monitoring is severely compromised due to the high energy level in the
pacer pulse. This can result in the arrhythmia algorithm’s failure to detect
pacemaker non-capture or asystole.
WarningWarning
It is possible that pacemaker pulses will not be detected when the ECG
analog output of a defibrillator is plugged into a bedside monitor. This can
result in the arrhythmia algorithm’s failure to detect pacemaker non-
capture or asystole.
WarningWarning
Always verify that your patient’s paced setting at the Information Center
accurately reflects the patient’s status.
Intended
Use
The intended use of the ST/AR basic arrhythmia analysis algorithm is to monitor
the patient’s ECG for heart rate and ventricular arrhythmias and to produce
events/alarms simultaneously for one or more ECG leads. The arrhythmia
algorithm is effective when monitoring both paced and non-paced patients in a
clinical environment.