Prediction of the success of cardiac resuscitation: a pattern classification approach based on ECG spectral and temporal features

The ECG tracings recorded during a ventricular fibrillation (VF) using an automated external defibrillator (AED) contain useful information predictive of shock outcome. The focus is on the VF waveforms' morphology. The amplitude and the spectral properties of VF may predict the likelihood of successful defibrillation [1-4]. In almost all previous studies, the amplitude or the spectral properties of the ECG tracings have been singularly used. However, these approaches have led to methods lacking sufficient predictive power.