Wireless ambulatory ECG

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Wireless ambulatory electrocardiography (ECG) is a type of ambulatory electrocardiography with recording devices that use wireless technology, such as Bluetooth and smartphones, for at-home cardiac monitoring (monitoring of heart rhythms). These devices are generally recommended to people who have been previously diagnosed with arrhythmias and want to have them monitored, or for those who have suspected arrhythmias and need to be monitored over an extended period of time in order to be diagnosed. [1]

Wireless ambulatory ECGs work in a way similar to a regular ECG by measuring the electrical potential of the heart through the skin. The data is saved on an application on a smartphone, and then uploaded to a computer through Bluetooth or cloud technologies. The information can also be sent through these technologies or through email to a doctor or cardiac technician. [2]

Wireless ambulatory ECGs are able to provide voice alarm messages when cardiac abnormalities occur, such as bradycardia, and can record this information and provide a screen prompt for the patient to view the data. The devices can also store mass amounts of ECG data on the phone, replay the ECG readings at a high speed, and have a low-voltage alarm function to not waste the battery life. These characteristics of the devices are seen as benefits in comparison to current ambulatory ECG monitoring equipment such as the Holter monitor. [3]

Recent technologies

1. CardioSecur ACTIVE is a smartphone based 15-lead mobile ECG for patients. While conventional ECG systems use ten electrodes to depict twelve standard leads, CardioSecur requires only four electrodes. CardioSecur's four-electrode technology has been clinically validated and is an alternative to ten electrode systems. [4] It provides an instant and personalized evaluation of ECG recordings and offers patients an immediate recommendation to act according to the applicable guidelines of professional cardiological associations. CardioSecur ACTIVE allows cardiovascular patients to gain more certainty about their cardiac activity. Additionally, it enables physicians to diagnose heart diseases faster as treating physicians can access their patients' ECG recordings through a secure database to which the recordings are automatically uploaded. Furthermore, the ECGs can be easily shared via iMessage, email, AirDrop or AirPrint. [5]

2. Alivecor heart monitors are currently available in the United States, the UK, and Ireland. The device is a small handheld single-channel ECG recording device that immediately sends information to a smartphone. Recordings can then be sent to a cardiac technician or a certified cardiologist for a small cost. [6] AliveCor obtains ECG traces through sensing plates, which can also be purchased through AliveCor. [7] The plates are placed on fingers or the chest and the scan takes 30 seconds to complete. [8] One of the benefits of AliveCor is the ability to record notes of how the patient was feeling prior to taking the ECG so that the physician has a clear picture of what the patterns indicate. [9] Studies on the algorithm used in the technology have indicated that the device provides sufficiently accurate data to be able to diagnose atrial fibrillations. [10] The accuracy has been found to be similar to Lead 1 data of a regular 12-lead ECG. [11]

3. iHealth created a wireless ECG monitor that is placed on the chest under clothing, and the data are sent to mobile phones and is readily available for healthcare professionals. [12] The device is small and lightweight, making it easy to participate in daily activities. It uses Bluetooth technology to send the information to cell phones, but it can also be connected to a computer via USB cable. [13]

4. Qardio created a wearable ECG monitor that wirelessly sends data to the smartphone for the user and health practitioners. The device can be worn every day to track heart health in real life. [14]

5. Beurer produces a single-channel ECG monitor without dedicated electrodes that transmits data via Bluetooth to a smartphone. It is very small and easy to carry around, but is not designed to continuously measure data. The device returns a preliminary analysis of the ECG recording, and detailed data can be later on shown to a physician. [15]

6. Lithuanian company ZIVE, created a single-channel ECG monitor (3 channel optional), that transmits data to iOS or Android phone. Live ECG and full ECG analysis options are available. Device is Class II CE EU certified. [16]

Related Research Articles

The diagnostic tests in cardiology are methods of identifying heart conditions associated with healthy vs. unhealthy, pathologic heart function.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electrocardiography</span> Examination of the hearts electrical activity

Electrocardiography is the process of producing an electrocardiogram, a recording of the heart's electrical activity through repeated cardiac cycles. It is an electrogram of the heart which is a graph of voltage versus time of the electrical activity of the heart using electrodes placed on the skin. These electrodes detect the small electrical changes that are a consequence of cardiac muscle depolarization followed by repolarization during each cardiac cycle (heartbeat). Changes in the normal ECG pattern occur in numerous cardiac abnormalities, including cardiac rhythm disturbances, inadequate coronary artery blood flow, and electrolyte disturbances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardioversion</span> Conversion of a cardiac arrhythmia to a normal rhythm using an electrical shock or medications

Cardioversion is a medical procedure by which an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) or other cardiac arrhythmia is converted to a normal rhythm using electricity or drugs. Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle, restoring the activity of the electrical conduction system of the heart. Pharmacologic cardioversion, also called chemical cardioversion, uses antiarrhythmia medication instead of an electrical shock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defibrillation</span> Treatment for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias

Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, specifically ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib) and non-perfusing ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach). A defibrillator delivers a dose of electric current to the heart. Although not fully understood, this process depolarizes a large amount of the heart muscle, ending the arrhythmia. Subsequently, the body's natural pacemaker in the sinoatrial node of the heart is able to re-establish normal sinus rhythm. A heart which is in asystole (flatline) cannot be restarted by a defibrillator, but would be treated only by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and medication. Like this asystole sometimes converts into a shockable rhythm, which can be treated by cardioversion or defibrillation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palpitations</span> Perceived cardiac abnormality in which ones heartbeat can be felt

Palpitations are perceived abnormalities of the heartbeat characterized by awareness of cardiac muscle contractions in the chest, which is further characterized by the hard, fast and/or irregular beatings of the heart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holter monitor</span> Portable device for cardiac monitoring

In medicine, a Holter monitor is a type of ambulatory electrocardiography device, a portable device for cardiac monitoring for at least 24 hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart rate monitor</span>

A heart rate monitor (HRM) is a personal monitoring device that allows one to measure/display heart rate in real time or record the heart rate for later study. It is largely used to gather heart rate data while performing various types of physical exercise. Measuring electrical heart information is referred to as electrocardiography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiac monitoring</span>

Cardiac monitoring generally refers to continuous or intermittent monitoring of heart activity to assess a patient's condition relative to their cardiac rhythm. Cardiac monitoring is usually carried out using electrocardiography, which is a noninvasive process that records the heart's electrical activity and displays it in an electrocardiogram. It is different from hemodynamic monitoring, which monitors the pressure and flow of blood within the cardiovascular system. The two may be performed simultaneously on critical heart patients. Cardiac monitoring for ambulatory patients is known as ambulatory electrocardiography and uses a small, wearable device, such as a Holter monitor, wireless ambulatory ECG, or an implantable loop recorder. Data from a cardiac monitor can be transmitted to a distant monitoring station in a process known as telemetry or biotelemetry.

BodyKom is a mobile heart monitoring service that enable care personnel to receive the ECG of heart patients via the mobile network. The patients can be mobile and perform their everyday activities yet remain under observation. The caregiver receives diagnosis data immediately when the patient's heart starts acting abnormally. Through a backend system the clinician can set patient individual limits to support finding the abnormal heart functionality for the patient. Measures can be initiated automatically, for example by notifying the clinician and informing relatives.

Alois A. Langer is an American biomedical engineer best known as one of the co-inventors of the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD).

A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is a non-invasive, external device for patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). It allows physicians time to assess their patient's arrhythmic risk and make appropriate plans. It is a leased device. A summary of the device, its technology and indications was published in 2017 and reviewed by the EHRA Scientific Documents Committee.

Biotronik is a limited partnership multi-national cardiovascular biomedical research and technology company, headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

Computer-aided auscultation (CAA), or computerized assisted auscultation, is a digital form of auscultation. It includes the recording, visualization, storage, analysis and sharing of digital recordings of heart or lung sounds. The recordings are obtained using an electronic stethoscope or similarly suitable recording device. Computer-aided auscultation is designed to assist health care professionals who perform auscultation as part of their diagnostic process. Commercial CAA products are usually classified as clinical decision support systems that support medical professionals in making a diagnosis. As such they are medical devices and require certification or approval from a competent authority.

Wireless health is the integration of wireless technology into traditional medicine, such as diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of illness, as well as other tools that can help individuals improve their personal health and wellbeing. Wireless health differs from mHealth in that wireless health solutions will not always be mobile and mobile health solutions will not always be wirelessly enabled. Mobile broadband connectivity is useful in reaching new patients in remote areas while improving productivity and convenience through data transmission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monitoring (medicine)</span> Observation of a disease, condition or one or several medical parameters over time

In medicine, monitoring is the observation of a disease, condition or one or several medical parameters over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical tricorder</span>

A medical tricorder is a handheld portable scanning device to be used by consumers to self-diagnose medical conditions within seconds and take basic vital measurements. While the device is not yet on the mass market, there are numerous reports of other scientists and inventors also working to create such a device as well as improve it. A common view is that it will be a general-purpose tool similar in functionality to a Swiss Army Knife to take health measurements such as blood pressure and temperature, and blood flow in a noninvasive way. It would diagnose a person's state of health after analyzing the data, either as a standalone device or as a connection to medical databases via an Internet connection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Implantable loop recorder</span>

An implantable loop recorder (ILR), also known as an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM), is a small device that is implanted under the skin of the chest for cardiac monitoring, to record the heart's electrical activity for an extended period.

Qardio, Inc. is an American technology company that specializes in heart health monitoring products. It was founded by Marco Peluso and Rosario Iannella in early 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AliveCor</span> American medical device and AI company

AliveCor is a medical device and AI company that develops ECG hardware and software compatible with consumer mobile devices to enable remote heart rhythm monitoring and detection of abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. AliveCor was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California, the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CardiacSense Ltd</span> Israeli medical products company

CardiacSense is a developer of a wearable technology for continuous cardiac arrhythmia detection and vital signs monitoring. CardiacSense is based in Caesarea, Israel.

References

  1. ↑ Ting, W., Jun-da, H., Chenjie, G., Jia, Z., and Wei, Y. (2010) Wireless monitoring system based on Bluetooth smart phones. ICNDS. 2:648-651.
  2. ↑ Ting, W., Jun-da, H., Chenjie, G., Jia, Z., and Wei, Y. (2010) Wireless monitoring system based on Bluetooth smart phones. ICNDS. 2:648-651.
  3. ↑ Ting, W., Jun-da, H., Chenjie, G., Jia, Z., and Wei, Y. (2010) Wireless monitoring system based on Bluetooth smart phones. ICNDS. 2:648-651.
  4. ↑ , 2016 Personal MedSystems GmbH
  5. ↑ , 2016 Personal MedSystems GmbH
  6. ↑ AliveCor. 2014. AliveCor Incorporated. Web. February 10th, 2014.
  7. ↑ AliveCor. 2014. AliveCor Incorporated. Web. February 10th, 2014.
  8. ↑ Saxon, L.A. (2013) Ubiquitous Wireless ECG Recording: A Powerful Tool Physicians Should Embrace. J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 24(4):480-483
  9. ↑ AliveCor. 2014. AliveCor Incorporated. Web. February 10th, 2014.
  10. ↑ Lau, J., Lowres, N., Neubeck, L., Brieger, D., Sy, R., Galloway, C., Albert, D., and Friedman, S. (2013) Performance of an Automated iPhone ECG Algorithm to Diagnose Atrial Fibrillation in a Community AF Screening Program (SEARCH-AF). HeartlungCirc. 22:S261-S266.
  11. ↑ Garabelli, P., Albert, D., and Reynolds, D. (2012) Accuracy and Novelty of an Inexpensive iPhone-based Event Recorder. Presented at the Heart Rhythm Conference.
  12. ↑ iHealth. 2014. iHealth Labs. Web. February 10th, 2014.
  13. ↑ iHealth. 2014. iHealth Labs. Web. February 10th, 2014.
  14. ↑ , 2016 Qardio, Inc.
  15. ↑ , 2015 Beurer GmbH
  16. ↑ ZIVE. 2023 ZIVE UAB. Web.October 6th, 2023.
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