Device for Detecting a Signal from a Human or Animal Organism

A computer program product having computer readable code that causes a processor to carry out the following steps when executed on the processor:

• a) detecting a cardiac signal from a human or animal organism in a time-dependent manner by means of a detection unit of a implantable medical device for detecting a cardiac signal from a human or animal organism and for stimulating the human or animal heart;
• b) defining a signal segment extends over an adjustable first temporal length of the cardiac signal;
• c) subdividing the signal segment into first blocks in at least a first section of the signal segment;
• d) determining a total number of the first blocks;
• e) determining a measure for a signal swing in each of the first blocks;
• f) determining a number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than a predeterminable first threshold value;
• g) calculating a first quotient from the number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than the first threshold value, and the total number of the first blocks;
• h) comparing the first quotient with a second threshold value;
• i) classifying a cardiac state of the human or animal organism into a first class if the first quotient is greater than the second threshold value, or classifying a cardiac state of the human or animal organism into a second class if the first quotient is not greater than the second threshold value, wherein one of the first and second classes is indicative of a physiological state of the organism and the other of the first and second classes is indicative of a pathophysiological state of the organism.

A method for signal processing, having the following steps:

• a) detecting a cardiac signal from a human or animal organism in a time-dependent manner by means of a detection unit of a implantable medical device for detecting a cardiac signal from a human or animal organism and for stimulating the human or animal heart;
• b) defining a signal segment extends over an adjustable first temporal length of the cardiac signal;
• c) subdividing the signal segment into first blocks in at least a first section of the signal segment;
• d) determining a total number of the first blocks;
• e) determining a measure for a signal swing in each of the first blocks;
• f) determining a number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than a predeterminable first threshold value;
• g) calculating a first quotient from the number of first blocks in which the measure for the signal swing is less than the first threshold value, and the total number of the first blocks;
• h) comparing the first quotient with a second threshold value.