A QRS detection algorithm for discriminating artifacts in ECG records

A simple and efficient algorithm has been developed to detect QRS complexes at high speed (approximately 32 times real-time speed) from the single-channel digitized ECG (electrocardiogram) data records. This algorithm discriminate QRS complexes against various artifacts, including those due to tape-recorder amplifier saturation. Attenuation of noise (60-Hz power-line frequency) is obtained in a systematic way by a suitable differentiation procedure. This algorithm successfully discriminates muscle artifacts from the distortion due to amplifier saturation. The QRS detection program has less than 5.2% misses and less than 3.9% false detects under extreme conditions. These errors are reduced to a negligible value in relatively artifact-free records.<
>