System and method for electrocardiogram analysis and optimization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and therapy delivery

1. An external medical device, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface in connection with the housing; and

a processor within the housing configured to:

cause the user interface to issue a first prompt instructing a user to cause chest compressions to be delivered to a patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) period;

receive an input signal for the patient receiving the chest compressions, in which the delivered chest compressions have a chest compression frequency f;

select a comb filter mechanism;

apply the comb filter mechanism to the input signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts from the input signal, wherein the chest compression artifacts correspond to the chest compressions being delivered to the patient, and wherein the comb filter mechanism substantially rejects content in the frequency f plus content in at least one more frequency that is a higher harmonic to the frequency f but substantially passes frequencies between the frequency f and the higher harmonic; and

determine a shock/no shock decision based at least in part on a result of the application of the comb filter mechanism to the input signal; and

cause the user interface to issue a second prompt instructing a user to cause an electrical charge to be guided to the patient responsive to a determination that the shock/no shock decision is to shock.

2. The external medical device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an energy storage module within the housing configured to store the electrical charge, and

a defibrillation port configured to guide via electrodes the stored electrical charge to the patient.

3. The external medical device of claim 1 , in which the processor is further configured to

cause the user interface to issue, before the second prompt, a third prompt instructing a user to cause delivery of the chest compressions to the patient to stop.

4. An external medical device, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface in connection with the housing; and

a processor within the housing configured to:

cause the user interface to issue a first prompt instructing a user to cause chest compressions to be delivered to a patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) period;

receive an input signal for the patient receiving the chest compressions, in which the delivered chest compressions have a chest compression frequency f;

select a comb filter mechanism;

apply the comb filter mechanism to the input signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts from the input signal, wherein the chest compression artifacts correspond to the chest compressions being delivered to the patient, and wherein the comb filter mechanism substantially rejects content in the frequency f plus content in at least one more frequency that is a higher harmonic to the frequency f but substantially passes content in frequencies between the frequency f and the higher harmonic; and

determine a shock/no shock decision based at least in part on a result of the application of the comb filter mechanism to the input signal; and

cause the user interface to issue a second prompt instructing a user to not cause an electrical shock to be delivered to the patient responsive to a determination that the shock/no shock decision is to not shock.

5. The external medical device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display in connection with the housing.

6. The external medical device of claim 5 , in which

the processor is further configured to cause the display to visually present the filtered input signal.

7. The external medical device of claim 1 , in which

the comb filter mechanism substantially rejects content in the frequency f and substantially rejects content in at least two more frequencies that are additional higher harmonics of the frequency f while substantially passing content in frequencies between each successive pair of harmonics.

8. The external medical device of claim 1 , in which

the comb filter mechanism is non-adaptive.

9. A method, comprising:

a system issuing a first prompt instructing a user to cause chest compressions to be delivered to a patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) period;

the system receiving an input signal related to a patient who is receiving the chest compressions in which the delivered chest compressions have a chest compression frequency f;

the system selecting a digital filter mechanism;

the system applying the digital filter mechanism to the input signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts therefrom, wherein the chest compression artifacts correspond to the chest compressions being delivered to the patient, and wherein the applying includes:

substantially rejecting content in the frequency f by the digital filter mechanism, and

substantially rejecting content in at least one more frequency that is a higher harmonic to the frequency f by the digital filter mechanism; and

the system determining a shock/no shock decision based at least in part on a result of the application of the digital filter mechanism to the input signal; and

the system issuing a second prompt instructing a user to cause an electrical charge to be guided to the patient responsive to a determination that the shock/no shock decision is to shock.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

the system storing the electrical charge, and

the system guiding via electrodes the stored electrical charge to the patient.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

the system issuing, before the second prompt, a third prompt instructing a user to cause delivery of the chest compressions to the patient to stop.

12. A method, comprising:

a system issuing a first prompt instructing a user to cause chest compressions to be delivered to a patient during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) period;

the system receiving an input signal related to a patient who is receiving the chest compressions in which the delivered chest compressions have a chest compression frequency f;

the system selecting a digital filter mechanism;

the system applying the digital filter mechanism to the input signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts therefrom, wherein the chest compression artifacts correspond to the chest compressions being delivered to the patient, and wherein the applying includes:

substantially rejecting content in the frequency f by the digital filter mechanism, and

substantially rejecting content in at least one more frequency that is a higher harmonic to the frequency f by the digital filter mechanism; and

the system determining a shock/no shock decision based at least in part on a result of the application of the digital filter mechanism to the input signal; and

the system issuing a second prompt instructing a user to not cause an electric shock to be delivered to the patient responsive to a determination that the shock/no shock decision is to not shock.

13. The method of claim 12 , in which

the digital filter mechanism is non-adaptive.

14. The external medical device of claim 4 , in which

the comb filter mechanism substantially rejects content in the frequency f and substantially rejects content in at least two more frequencies that are additional higher harmonics of the frequency f while substantially passing frequencies between each successive pair of harmonics.

15. The external medical device of claim 4 , in which

the comb filter mechanism is non-adaptive.

16. The external medical device of claim 12 , in which

the digital filter mechanism includes a comb filter.

17. The method of claim 9 , in which

the digital filter mechanism includes a comb filter.

18. The method of claim 9 , in which

the digital filter mechanism is non-adaptive.