Catching Heart Problems

Reported September 2007

Chicago, Ill. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Defibrillators save lives for people with a heart condition. These patients have a thin line between life and death. Now, new wireless technology allows doctors to monitor their vital signs and implantable devices from anywhere, anytime. Judy Borland used to live in fear her heart would stop beating.

"I went into heart failure two years ago, and I had only 15 percent use of my heart muscle," Borland says.

She has a pacemaker, takes eight pills a day and had to stop working. But that's better than the alternative.h

"I think the thought of not being able to work is horrible. But the thought of not waking up in the morning is worse," Borland says.

A mini antenna -- built into Borland's pacemaker -- sends data about her health to a wireless system in her home, which transmits the information to her doctor without waiting for the patient's next visit.

"It would now be similar to if your car had an abnormality and your dealership calling you and telling you your car has a problem that you may not even know exists," Kousik Krishnan, M.D., cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center, says.

The system also reads Borland's weight and blood pressure and asks a series of questions. Since Borland lives two hours away from the hospital, it gives her peace of mind. She has only one complaint.

"I live alone. I wish this machine would talk to me more often, you know,” Borland says. “I requested a male voice, but they have not gotten it to me yet, but they are working on it."

Rush University Medical Center is one of 18 centers in the country involved in the study on this system, called "LATITUDE." It's unique because it constantly records data, unlike other systems, which only alert doctors when there's a problem. The device is covered by health insurance.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

Kim Waterman
Associate Director, Media Relations
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
(312) 942-7820
Kimberly_Waterman@rush.edu

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