A pulse monitoring and warning method and system comprising a sensor disposable over an individuals heart and configured to sense a heart rate, the sensor configured to transmit a wireless signal and a monitor configured to continuously receive a wireless signal from the sensor, the monitor configured to process the signal and produce an alert indication responsive to the heart rate falling below a predetermined level. The system and method employ a QRS detection algorithm, which includes several mechanisms for minimizing the impact of amplitude fluctuation, EMG interference and P/T segment interference. These mechanisms include a variable QRS detection threshold algorithm, a variable QRS search window algorithm, a QRS segment slope/width detector algorithm, and a QRS reacquisition procedure.