6 ECG, Arrhythmia, ST and QT Monitoring
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Arrhythmia Relearn and Lead Fallback
Lead fallback triggers an automatic arrhythmia relearn.
WARNING
If arrhythmia learning takes place during ventricular rhythm, the ectopics may be incorrectly learned as
the normal QRS complex. This may result in missed detection of subsequent events of V-Tach and V-
Fib.
For this reason you should:
• take care to initiate arrhythmia relearning only during periods of predominantly normal rhythm
and when the ECG signal is relatively noise-free
• be aware that arrhythmia relearning can happen automatically
• respond to any INOP messages (for example, if you are prompted to reconnect electrodes)
• be aware that a disconnected EASI electrode triggers an arrhythmia relearn on all leads
• always ensure that the arrhythmia algorithm is labeling beats correctly.
Arrhythmia Alarms
Arrhythmia alarms can be switched on and off and the alarm settings changed just like other
measurement alarms, as described in the Alarms section. Special alarm features which apply only to
arrhythmia are described here.
The different alarms detected and generated by the monitor depend on the level of arrhythmia analysis
that is enabled. For a complete list of arrhythmia alarms and INOPs, see the “Alarms” chapter.
The monitor detects arrhythmia alarm conditions by comparing ECG data to a set of pre-defined
criteria. An alarm can be triggered by a rate exceeding a threshold (for example, HR >xx), an abnormal
rhythm (for example, Ventricular Bigeminy), or an ectopic event (for example, Pair PVCs).
Yellow Arrhythmia Alarms
Yellow arrhythmia alarms are short yellow alarms specific to arrhythmia-related patient conditions.
The heart rate alarms (High HR and Low HR) can be configured as short yellow or standard yellow
alarms. When they are standard yellow alarms they exist independently of the other arrhythmia alarms
and no timeout periods apply.
WARNING
When arrhythmia analysis is on, all yellow ECG and arrhythmia alarms are short yellow alarms (one-
star). This means that the yellow alarm lamp and the tones are active for six seconds only, after which
the blinking numeric and the alarm message remain for up to three minutes. The only exception to this
are the HR High and Low alarms which can be configured as standard yellow alarms. Red alarms
behave as usual.