A Novel methodology for arrhythmia risk stratification by assessing qt interval instability

Clinical studies have demonstrated that beat-to-beat instability in QT interval, which is the global manifestation of instability in ventricular repolarization dynamics, predicts propensity to arrhythmias. However, a robust methodology to assess QT interval instability and thus predict propensity to arrhythmia in a patient-specific manner is currently lacking. This invention describes a new methodology for assessing QT interval instability. We propose a novel and radically different approach that is based on engineering methods used frequently in other engineering fields, but never applied to cardiac electrophysiology. Application of this methodology in the clinic provides the means to monitor repolarization instability in the heart and allow the clinician to assess the patient's propensity to arrhythmia. A methodology that will allow the physician to predict the development of instabilities in QT interval in a patient-specific manner and thus predict the patient's propensity to arrhythmia will be a significant step forward in improving sudden cardiac death risk stratification and in preventing loss of human life.

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