Beats: An interactive research oriented ECG analysis system

We developed BEATS (Beat Editing And Tracking Software), an interactive program to extract beat-to-beat information about the QRST complex. It is aimed at recordings of intermediate length, typically 20 minutes, corresponding to an average exercise ECG. BEATS accepts any 8-channel ECG recording which is then converted into a 3-channel vectorcardiographic X, Y, Z representation and the spatial velocity. After beat detection the user aids the program in determining the global positions of the onset QRS, J point and T apex at several different heart rates. From the global T apices the local T apex, the steepest slope in the descending limb of the T wave and the end of the T wave are determined. BEATS produces a file with baseline corrected signals and a file with the parameters for each QRST complex. These files can be used as input for other programs that run unattended and extract QRST features like QRS- and T-integrals, QRST angle, etc.