A device for the analysis of the alternans cycle to cycle and/or the
variability of the ventricular repolarization wave in an ECG signal. This
device extracts from an ECG signal, for each cardiac beat, a temporal
segment of T samples of the ventricular repolarization wave, considered
as from a moment t following a predetermined temporal origin. The T
samples for B consecutive beats are aggregated and a local variance
factor is evaluated. The square root of the local variance is obtained
and weighted by a factor of local alternans. The device delivers at the
output an index of alternans and variability TVar.sub.b function, for a
given beat, local variance factor weighted by the factor of local
alternans.