# US 10,307,071 B2 · ECG evaluation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,071 B2 - Document ID: US10307071B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/300,684 - Filed: 2015-04-02 - Published: 2017-04-27 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-04 - Assignees: University of Leicester - Applicants: University of Leicester - Inventors: William B. Nicolson; Andre G. Ng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307071B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/349: Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle - A61B 5/282: Holders for multiple electrodes (for introduction into the body A61B5/287) - A61B 5/7275: {Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor} - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 5/02405: {Determining heart rate variability} - A61B 5/363: Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A method for assessing the electrical function of a heart, a method for determining a subject's need for the implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or the need for administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent, and apparatus for assessing the function of the heart and a computer program product. The methods and products involve analysis of ECG. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for assessing the electrical function of a heart, the method comprising the steps of: providing an ECG, the ECG having a plurality of leads; determining, for each lead of the plurality of leads, at more than one time point, an output value corresponding to an action potential duration; determining, for each lead of the plurality of leads, at the more than one time points, an output value corresponding to a diastolic interval; determining a restitution curve for each of the plurality of leads based on the output value corresponding to the action potential and the output value corresponding to the diastolic interval at the more than one time points; determining a gradient of the restitution curve for each of the plurality of leads at a first time point; combining the gradients determined for each lead; or identifying the steepest gradient amongst the gradients taken for each lead at the first time point, wherein a steeper gradient indicates a higher likelihood to progress to cardiac failure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the higher likelihood to progress to cardiac failure is an assessment of need for implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the action potential duration is measured as a QT or a JT interval, and wherein the diastolic interval is measured as the TQ interval. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the gradient is a numerical gradient. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the action potential duration and the diastolic interval are each measured in the same manner for each of the plurality of leads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: assessing the differences between the restitution curves for each of the plurality of leads, wherein the greater the differences between the restitution curves for each lead indicates a higher risk that the heart is abnormal; and assessing the cardiac function of the heart, determining the need for implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or the need for administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent based on the gradient of the restitution curve and the differences between the restitution curves. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of leads comprises two or more selected from the group consisting of limb leads, chest leads, posterior leads, anterior leads, lateral leads, or inferior leads. ### Claim 8 An apparatus for assessing the function of the heart, the apparatus comprising: an ECG having a plurality of leads; and a computer in communication with the ECG, wherein the computer performs the steps of: determining, for each lead of the plurality of leads, at more than one time point, an output value corresponding to an action potential duration; determining, for each lead of the plurality of leads, at the more than one time points, an output value corresponding to a diastolic interval; determining a based on the output value corresponding to the action potential and the output value corresponding to the diastolic interval at the more than one time points; determining a gradient of the restitution curve for each of the plurality of leads at a first time point; combining the gradients determined for each lead; or identifying the steepest gradient amongst the gradients taken for each lead at the first time point, wherein a steeper gradient indicates a higher likelihood to progress to cardiac failure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action potential duration is measured as a QT or a JT interval, and wherein the diastolic interval is measured as the TQ interval. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, the gradient is a numerical gradient. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action potential duration and the diastolic interval are each measured in the same manner for each of the plurality of leads. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: assessing the differences between the restitution curves for each of the plurality of leads, wherein the greater the differences between the restitution curves for each lead indicates a higher risk that the heart is abnormal; and assessing the cardiac function of the heart, determining the need for implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or the need for administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent based on the gradient of the restitution curve and the differences between the restitution curves. ### Claim 13 One or more non-transitory computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for assessing the electrical function of a heart, the method comprising: communicating with an ECG, the ECG having a plurality of leads; receiving, at more than one time point, an output value corresponding to an action potential duration from each lead of the plurality of leads; receiving, at the more than one time points, an output value corresponding to a diastolic interval from each lead of the plurality of leads; determining a restitution curve based on the output value corresponding to the action potential and the output value corresponding to the diastolic interval, for each lead of the plurality leads at the more than one time points; determining a gradient of the restitution curve for each of the plurality of leads at a first time point; combining the gradients determined for each lead; or identifying the steepest gradient amongst the gradients taken for each lead at the first time point, wherein a steeper gradient indicates a higher likelihood to progress to cardiac failure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the action potential duration and the diastolic interval are each measured in the same manner for each lead. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the action potential duration is measured as a QT or a JT interval, and wherein the diastolic interval is measured as the TQ interval. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the gradient is a numerical gradient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the action potential duration and the diastolic interval are each measured in the same manner for each of the plurality of leads. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the indication of the higher likelihood to progress to cardiac failure is an assessment of need for implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, further comprising: assessing the differences between the restitution curves for each of the plurality of leads, wherein the greater the differences between the restitution curves for each lead indicates a higher risk that the heart is abnormal; and assessing the cardiac function of the heart, determining the need for implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or the need for administration of an anti-arrhythmic agent based on the gradient of the restitution curve and the differences between the restitution curves. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The media of claim 13, wherein the leads comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of limb leads, chest leads, posterior leads, anterior leads, lateral leads, inferior leads. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises calculating an average gradient across the leads after combining the gradients determined for each lead. ### Claim 22 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer further performs the step of calculating an average gradient cross the leads after combining the gradients determined for each lead. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer storage media of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises calculating an average gradient across the leads after combining the gradients determined for each lead.