Creighton University Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia Database

This database is described in

Nolle FM, Badura FK, Catlett JM, Bowser RW, Sketch MH. CREI-GARD, a new concept in computerized arrhythmia monitoring systems. Computers in Cardiology 13:515-518 (1986).

Please cite this publication when referencing this material, and also include the standard citation for PhysioNet:

Goldberger AL, Amaral LAN, Glass L, Hausdorff JM, Ivanov PCh, Mark RG, Mietus JE, Moody GB, Peng C-K, Stanley HE. PhysioBank, PhysioToolkit, and PhysioNet: Components of a New Research Resource for Complex Physiologic Signals. Circulation 101(23):e215-e220 [Circulation Electronic Pages; http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/101/23/e215]; 2000 (June 13).

This database includes 35 eight-minute ECG recordings of human subjects who experienced episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular flutter, and ventricular fibrillation.

Record cu01 was obtained from a long-term ECG (Holter) recording (played back at real time for digitization); the other records were digitized in real time from high-level (1 V/mV nominal) analog signals from patient monitors. All signals were passed through an active second-order Bessel low-pass filter with a cutoff of 70 Hz, and were digitized at 250 Hz with 12-bit resolution over a 10 V range (10 mV nominal relative to the unamplified signals). Each record contains 127,232 samples (slightly less than 8.5 minutes).

In episodes of cardiac failure, fibrillation is almost always preceded by a run of ventricular tachycardia, which eventually gives way to the fibrillation itself. The onset of fibrillation is extremely difficult to pinpoint in many cases. Any clinically useful detector should respond to the runs of tachycardia preceding fibrillation, since medical intervention is needed at the earliest opportunity. Thus any detector responding to the premonitory tachycardia can exhibit a negative ``time to alarm'' compared to the onset of fibrillation as recorded in the reference annotation files. For this reason, the database is defined as a tachyarrhythmia database rather than a fibrillation database.

In these records, the minimum number of non-VF beats prior to the onset of a VF episode is 61. The mean time interval from the beginning of the record to the onset of VF is 5:47 (with a standard deviation of 2:01). Five records (cu12, cu15, cu24, cu25, and cu32) were from paced patients (in some cases, pacing artifacts are not visible, and pacing is apparent only from the regularity of the rhythm). Repeated defibrillation attempts are visible in many records.

The recordings were originally collected by Floyd M. Nolle at the Creighton University Cardiac Center. High-quality recordings of these rhythms are extremely rare, and of great importance both for development and evaluation of VF detectors and for basic research on the dynamics of VF. We wish to thank Richard W. Bowser, formerly of the Creighton University Cardiac Center, for preserving these recordings, for making them available for distribution in this format, and for preparing the preceding notes on this database.

The reference annotation files supplied for this database have been included to aid users in locating events of interest. They are in no sense definitive. All beats are labelled normal (although many are ectopic). VF onset annotations mark only the approximate beginnings of VF episodes.

The reference annotation files for records cu01, cu03, and cu12 were updated in January 2006 to include previously missing ventricular fibrillation onset and end annotations (thanks to Janusz Irzyk for reporting these missing). The previous versions of these three files remain available here for comparison (cu01.atr-, cu03.atr-, and cu12.atr-).

 Name                    Last modified      Size  Description
 Parent Directory                             -   
 ANNOTATORS              13-Oct-2000 23:40   44   list of annotators
 MD5SUMS                 31-Jan-2006 13:31  6.3K  
 RECORDS                 29-Mar-2000 12:02  175   list of record names
 SHA1SUMS                31-Jan-2006 13:31  7.5K  
 SHA256SUMS              18-Sep-2007 13:37   11K  
 cu01.atr                31-Jan-2006 13:03  426   reference annotations
 cu01.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:23  416   previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu01.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu01.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   60   header file
 cu01.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   78   header file
 cu01.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu02.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  2.0K  reference annotations
 cu02.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu02.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu02.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu02.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu03.atr                31-Jan-2006 13:06  1.9K  reference annotations
 cu03.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.9K  previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu03.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu03.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu03.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu03.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu04.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  530   reference annotations
 cu04.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu04.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu04.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu04.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu05.atr                26-Feb-2003 14:26  1.4K  reference annotations
 cu05.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.4K  previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu05.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu05.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu05.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu05.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu06.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  926   reference annotations
 cu06.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu06.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu06.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu06.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu07.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  762   reference annotations
 cu07.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu07.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu07.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu07.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu08.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  2.5K  reference annotations
 cu08.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu08.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu08.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu08.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu09.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.8K  reference annotations
 cu09.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu09.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu09.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu09.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu10.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu10.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu10.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu10.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu10.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu11.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.0K  reference annotations
 cu11.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu11.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu11.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu11.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu12.atr                31-Jan-2006 13:12  834   reference annotations
 cu12.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:38  824   previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu12.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu12.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu12.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu12.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu13.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.7K  reference annotations
 cu13.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu13.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu13.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu13.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu14.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu14.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu14.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu14.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu14.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu15.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  570   reference annotations
 cu15.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu15.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu15.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu15.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu16.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.7K  reference annotations
 cu16.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu16.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu16.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu16.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu17.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu17.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu17.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu17.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu17.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu18.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.4K  reference annotations
 cu18.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu18.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu18.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu18.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu19.atr                26-Feb-2003 14:36  1.4K  reference annotations
 cu19.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.4K  previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu19.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu19.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu19.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu19.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu20.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  418   reference annotations
 cu20.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu20.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu20.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu20.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu21.atr                24-Feb-2003 14:00  1.3K  reference annotations
 cu21.atr-               30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.3K  previous version of reference annotations (obsolete)
 cu21.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu21.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   60   header file
 cu21.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   78   header file
 cu21.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu22.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  904   reference annotations
 cu22.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu22.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu22.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu22.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu23.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  906   reference annotations
 cu23.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu23.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu23.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu23.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu24.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.0K  reference annotations
 cu24.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu24.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu24.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu24.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu25.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu25.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu25.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu25.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu25.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu26.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.6K  reference annotations
 cu26.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu26.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu26.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu26.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu27.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  2.1K  reference annotations
 cu27.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu27.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   60   header file
 cu27.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   78   header file
 cu27.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu28.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  778   reference annotations
 cu28.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu28.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   59   header file
 cu28.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   77   header file
 cu28.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu29.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu29.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu29.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu29.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu29.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu30.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  304   reference annotations
 cu30.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu30.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu30.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu30.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu31.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  604   reference annotations
 cu31.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu31.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu31.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu31.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu32.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.5K  reference annotations
 cu32.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu32.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu32.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu32.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu33.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  1.1K  reference annotations
 cu33.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu33.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu33.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu33.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu34.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  534   reference annotations
 cu34.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu34.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   57   header file
 cu34.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   75   header file
 cu34.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript
 cu35.atr                30-Jul-1992 00:38  806   reference annotations
 cu35.dat                30-Jul-1992 00:38  186K  digitized signal(s)
 cu35.hea                05-Apr-2008 19:05   58   header file
 cu35.hea-               30-Jul-1992 00:38   76   header file
 cu35.xws                12-Dec-1999 19:00   82   WAVEScript