Smartphone-based device to transmit ECG in US

A US-based company has created a medical device that can monitor heart rhythm of cardiovascular patients and transmit electrocardiogram (ECG) to doctors through their smartphone.

The wireless "Kardia Mobile" device, manufactured by US-based company AliveCor, links to patient's smartphones through an app available for Apple and android devices which immediately transmits "one-lead" or "30-second" ECGs to doctors, Peoria Journal Star reported on Sunday.

The device will be offered to thousands of patients of Illinois-based cardiology group Prairie Cardiovascular, where it will be used to monitor patients for early detection of "atrial fibrillation" and other heart-rhythm problems.

The goal is to give doctors the opportunity to add or adjust medicines and take necessary steps in time to help patients avoid strokes, heart attacks and other heart-related events.

"Early diagnosis is important," said Ziad Issa, cardiologist at St. John's Hospital's Prairie Heart Institute of Illinois.

Prairie Cardiovascular becomes one of the few other health-care centres in the US to adopt the technology which has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available in stores and online without prescription.

"The health-care system is not designed for consumers. This [device] enables patients to be more engaged and participate in their care," said Doug Biehn, Chief Operating Officer of AliveCor.

However, some doctors have raised concerns over the possiblility that the device may produce unnecessary doctor visits, testing, false alarms, which could worry patients.

The doctors noted that the device will be helpful if confined to genuinely high-risk group who are already experiencing frequent symptoms and receiving multiple visits and ECGs.