Any Tech-heads out there?.....
Can someone explain to me why stonking ST elevation on ambulance 12-leads is frequently
NOT apparent on A&E 12-leads when repeated a few minutes later? We have all, I'm sure,
seen similar differences between real-time 3-lead ECG monitor ST segments and formal
12-lead traces.
This clearly has serious implications for pre-hospital initiation of lysis (don't get me
started on that old chestnut again).
Mad Mike Bjorky (sometime member of this list) has pointed out to me that the Physio
Control gadgets he uses in the back of his white taxi use a much wider frequency respose
range (0.05-150 Hz) than our Hewlett Packard gadgets in A&E (0.5-100 Hz).
I would like to know....
1) What frequency response range do YOU use in your depts / ambulances / surgeries (the
range is usually printed out on the 12-lead ECG)?
2) If the different frequency response range IS responsible for different ST signs, which
range SHOULD we be using?
I've asked our medical electronics boffins, who suggest the difference may be due to
interference from myriad 50Hz power sources in A&E which are generally NOT a problem in
ambulances (low voltage rectified d.c. or batteries).
Our boffin suggested we could change the frequency response range on our HP machines.
I know we can, BUT SHOULD WE?
I've looked on the web: not much help.
Anyone got an Email address for technical support at Physio Control or Hewlett Packard?
Dr G Ray
Staff Grade
A&E
Sussex
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