NEW YORK, N.Y. (Ivanhoe Newswire)— Atrial fibrillation, or Afib, is a condition where the heart races or quivers, resulting in an irregular heartbeat. As many as six million Americans have it and the CDC suggests that number will double by 2030. Now, a new device lets doctors monitor patients in real time, even when that patient is at home.
The last thing Misel Mirdita expected was heart trouble at age 37, but last year, he started having symptoms that his wife, Kristen Fable, wouldn’t let him ignore.
“It would be like a cold sweat, then dizziness, and chest pain. I couldn’t breathe. My heart rate would sometimes range between 160 and 180,” Mirdita explains.
“When we went to urgent care, he really felt bad. And then they sent him straight to the emergency room,” his wife chimes in.
Doctors suspected that Mirdita had Afib. Jossef Amirian, MD, board certified cardiologist of Manhattan Cardiology, wanted to use mobile cardiac telemetry, or MCT, to keep an eye on him. This is a new system called Bioflux.
“The Bioflux is a monitor, which, has three leads, that sits on the patient’s chest,” Doctor Amirian demonstrates.
The leads transmit signals into a portal alerting doctors to abnormal rhythms in real time.
Dr. Amirian explains, “Picking up that abnormal rhythm is extremely important. It can completely change the outlook and the management of a patient, which can make all the difference.”
Mirdita put the heart monitor on, and just a few hours later…
“We got a phone call. It was like, 11 o’clock at night. We were in bed, and we were like, who’s calling us?” Fable says.
The Bioflux picked up a serious, abnormal rhythm and Mirdita’s doctor recommended an ablation to block the Afib.
“We went in for the surgery Friday, and he went back to work on Monday,” Fable explains.
“Now I feel like a young boy again. I feel much better,” Mirdita cheerfully says.
Patients wear the Bioflux on average for four days, 24 hours a day, even during sleep. Doctors say that period allows them to detect any abnormalities in heart rhythm. Traditional cardiac monitors record heart rhythms, but the ECG and other cardiac data must be read by a medical professional after the fact.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: BIOFLUX: WATCHDOG FOR A QUIVERING HEART
REPORT: MB #5013
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. There are at least 2.7 million Americans living with AFib. With AFib, the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly instead of beating effectively to move blood into the ventricles. Sometimes, a clot may break off and enter the bloodstream where it lodges in an artery leading to the brain. When this occurs, the result can be a stroke. About 15 to 20 percent of people who have strokes have this heart arrhythmia. Patients who have this clot risk are usually put on blood thinners. Untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a highly increased risk for stroke. However, many patients are unaware that AFib is a serious condition.
(Source: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/what-is-atrial-fibrillation-afib-or-af)
BENEFITS OF MOBILE CARDIAC TELEMETRY: Mobile cardiac telemetry (MCT) is a cardiac monitoring method that uses a small portable device to monitor a patient’s cardiac activity, such as recording the patient’s heartbeat as they run errands, exercise, and sleep. It is one of the most effective methods of cardiac monitoring by having the ability to analyze every heartbeat with little interference to the patient’s normal day, and the opportunity to initiate an immediate emergency response as needed. It delivers advantages to both the patient and the physician that can lead to more efficient care. Data collected through the device is transmitted to the monitoring center and reviewed by professionally trained staff, who look for any abnormalities as they occur. The device also evaluates AFibs and pauses, determining the percentages of tachycardia, bradycardia, and then compiles a comprehensive list of calculations. An end of study report is then created and sent to the physician.
(Source: https://cacvi.org/services/diagnostic-procedures/mobile-cardiac-telemetry/)
NEW HEART CLINICAL TRIAL: CHANGE AFib is a clinical trial that will determine whether early treatment with the antiarrhythmic drug dronedarone improves cardiovascular and long-term outcomes in patients with first-detected AFib. The trial is a collaboration between the American Heart Association and Duke Clinical Research Institute. “Although several clinical trials have addressed the optimal treatment strategy for patients with symptomatic and recurrent atrial fibrillation, we do not yet have evidence on the best early treatment plan for those who have just been diagnosed with first-detected cases,” said Jonathan Piccini, MD, MHS, American Heart Association volunteer, cardiac electrophysiologist, and associate professor of medicine at Duke University. The CHANGE AFib trial will conclude in 2024 and will be conducted using patient data from hospitals participating in the American Heart Association’s nationwide “Get With The Guidelines” AFib registry.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Erica Fiorini, PhD Add’l information on Bioflux, visit:
Erica.fiorini@russopartnersllc.com https://www.biotricity.com/bioflux-2/
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