Electrocardiographic characteristics of ventricular fibrillation in patients with a wearable cardioverter defibrillator

Abstract

Introduction: Surface electrocardiographic (ECG) changes in ventricular fibrillation (VF) waveform characteristics at its onset in patients experiencing cardiac arrest have not been quantified. The amplitude spectral area (AMSA) method was developed to analyze surface ECG VF amplitude and frequency characteristics and contains information related to VF rotor stability and myocardial viability. We aimed to characterize changes in AMSA at the onset of VF to gain insight into myocardial dynamics in patients with a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD).