Fifteen years ago, if your patient was suffering from angina or heart palpitations, chances were they would be admitted to the hospital to undergo a battery of procedures where the fluctuations in rhythm and rate may or may not appear on the monitor. Nowadays ambulatory monitors such as ReactDx’s cardiac telemetry units simplify and significantly reduce health care expenditures by allowing patients to track their heart rate, rhythm, morphology, and P-wave analysis as they go about their daily routines. Below are additional cardiovascular breakthroughs that will change health care from both a patient and a physician standpoint.
Health care Apps
With more than 250,000 health care-related apps for smartphones, this field has exploded. Approximately 25 percent of these apps include wearable monitors that record steps, heart rate, sleep patterns, blood pressure, ECG, etc. ReactDx’s telemetry units are included in this percentage and can quickly transfer information from the wearer to ReactDx’s monitoring center, alerting the patient’s physician. Smartphones can also alert the patient of current heart arrhythmias and recommend medications or physician care.
Kiosks
Health care kiosks take on the role of a nurse’s aide by measuring blood pressure and vitals, performing simple blood screenings, and connecting patients with physicians via telemedicine. These telemedicine conferences help to answer questions and dispense prescription medication without having to wait to see a doctor’s office.
Robotic Systems
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently permitted the use of robotic systems to perform interventional cardiology procedures and catheter ablations. Robotic systems enable more precise catheter manipulation and fewer cases of human error. Even better, the physician or radiologist no longer has to be within the parameters of the radiation field, thereby decreasing chances of left-hemisphere brain cancer from radiation exposure and orthopedic issues due to the weight of wearing a lead apron throughout the day.
Nanobots
Tiny biocompatible nanobots are headed to a bloodstream near you! Nanobot technology has advanced to the point where cardiologists are able to manipulate these ‘bots to occluded arteries in patients. The nanobots push through emboli to create a direct channel, allowing for faster dissolution of the clot with tPA.
Pacemaker Cell Therapy
The invasive practice of inserting electronic pacemakers may become archaic with the advent of pacemaker cell therapy. If the body’s pacemaker cells malfunction, the newest technology may be stimulating pluripotent stem cells to develop into pacemaker cells. This research, which is still in clinical stages, is helping scientists better understand pacemaker cell disorders as they develop a truly biological pacemaker. Pediatric patients who outgrow traditional electronic pacemakers and patients who are not candidates for surgery will benefit greatly from this research.
The future of cardiovascular care is promising as researchers work to find cures as well as palliative care. ReactDx’s telemetry units incorporate the latest cutting-edge technology, and our research and development team is constantly upgrading products as newer technologies develop. Call ReactDx today at 800-234-3278 (800-23HEART) and speak with one of our knowledgeable staff concerning wearable cardiac monitors. Our blogs are abound with cardiovascular trends and research studies as well as patient care.
