With modern lifestyle comes greater risk of heart disease and other cardiac issues. Keeping our hearts healthy requires constant monitoring to catch any problems early. However, traditional heart monitoring equipment like electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) machines are bulky, inconvenient and only provide occasional snapshots of cardiac activity.
Continuous Heart Monitoring Made Simple
To address these shortcomings, researchers are developing innovative new technologies like the ECG sensor patch – a small, wearable patch that can continuously monitor the heart for days or even weeks at a time. Placed directly on the chest, these sensor patches are making round-the-clock heart monitoring as simple and hassle-free as wearing a temporary tattoo.
How ECG Sensor Patches Work
ECG sensor patches contain a network of tiny electrodes and sensors embedded in a flexible material similar to a bandage or patch. When placed on the chest, the electrodes are able to detect and record the tiny electrical impulses produced with each heartbeat. Onboard memory stores these ECG readings which can then be wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone or other device for evaluation by doctors.
Some key benefits of this technology include:
– Convenience – ECG Sensor Patch is small, discreet and can be worn easily under clothing for days at a time without interfering with daily activities. This allows for continuous, ambulatory cardiac monitoring versus brief clinic visits.
– Early Detection – With readings taken around the clock, even minor abnormalities in heart function that only occur occasionally can now be picked up. This facilitates early diagnosis of conditions like abnormal heart rhythms.
– Remote Monitoring – Downloaded ECG data can be securely shared with doctors who can track a patient’s heart health from a distance without repeated office visits. This enables remote patient monitoring.
– Preventive Care – Wearing an ECG patch during normal routine allows physicians to understand how lifestyle factors like exercise, diet or medication adherence impact a patient’s heart over time. This data assists in preventive care planning.
A Pioneering ECG Patch in Testing
One pioneering ECG patch system currently in clinical trials is the BioPatCh by MC10 Inc., a Boston-based startup. Weighing less than a postage stamp and just a few millimeters thin, the BioPatCh adheres directly to the skin like a temporary tattoo.
It incorporates a network of microscale electronics and flexible sensors that can detect and record electrocardiograms continuously for up to 14 days. Its memory stores over 100 hours of ECG data which can then be wirelessly downloaded through a patented skin interface to a smartphone for transmission to doctors.
In early clinical studies, the BioPatCh has been tested on subjects performing various activities like gardening, cooking, swimming and soccer to validate its real world effectiveness. Researchers were able to pick up asymptomatic cardiac abnormalities even during intense exercise that traditional infrequent checkups may have missed.
Heading Towards FDA Clearance
MC10 is currently conducting pivotal trials of the BioPatCh system as part of the FDA clearance process to be marketed as a class II medical device. If approved, it would be the first FDA-cleared long term ECG patch monitor available commercially. Wider real world use could help evaluate conditions like arterial fibrillation that often only manifest intermittently.
The FDA trials will involve at least 150 subjects wearing the BioPatCh continuously for up to 2 weeks and having their ECG data compared against Holter monitors. Additional endpoints include monitoring subjects during activities of daily living, comfort levels and validation against traditional 12-lead ECG machines.
Assuming successful trial outcomes, MC10 plans to submit for FDA clearance later this year. This could lead to a commercial product rollout in 2020 and pave the way for broad insurance reimbursement. Early interest has been strong from clinics, insurers, life sciences companies and others wanting to leverage MC10’s platform for new care models.
ECG Patches – Changing the Future of Heart Care Delivery
By removing location restrictions of conventional cardiac monitors, ECG patches have the potential to revolutionize how we approach diagnosis, treatment and management of heart conditions. Clinicians will gain new visibility into patients’ cardiac status anywhere, anytime which can help identify issues sooner.
For individuals, continuous remote monitoring through small, barely noticeable patches will make proactive heart health a convenient part of daily life. This shifts the model from episodic clinic visits towards one where patients can easily track their own cardiac function over long periods.
Ultimately, innovations like the ECG sensor patch are set to transform heart care delivery through widespread remote patient monitoring at low cost. As the technology matures, we are moving closer to a future where small, wearable cardiac sensors become a mainstream part of preventive healthcare helping reduce the burden of heart disease.
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