A 3D-computer model based on individual patient hearts may eventually replace the rather imprecise blood-pumping measurements currently in use. The new technology can more easily identify cardiac arrhythmia and determine whether patients are candidates for defibrillators. The ambulatory cardiac monitor specialists at ReactDx are happy to share this intriguing information with you.
A report submitted to Nature Communications signified that this computer-based 3D technology more precisely predicted the risk of arrhythmia than using traditional ejection fraction assessment or other existing clinical methods. Patients appreciate this non-invasive approach as well, and this virtual assessment has the possibility of foregoing surgery on patients who are found not to be at risk for cardiac arrhythmic events, according to Natalia Trayanova, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Forty-one heart-attack patients with ejection fraction of less than 35% and a current defibrillator were the subjects of this study. Researchers were not informed of the health or background of these individuals as the 3D virtual hearts were customized based on MRI records. When the virtual 3D hearts were completed, including representations of electrical processes between cardiac cells via intercalated discs, some of the virtual hearts developed arrhythmias while others did not. The test, named virtual-heart arrhythmia risk predictor (VARP), took the geometry of the patient’s heart, process of electrical waves, and the impact of scar tissue into account before risk was assessed.
VARP findings were then compared to post-implantation records of patients. VARP predicted at-risk patients were four times more likely to have experienced an arrhythmia than those who tested negative. Comparing VARP to ejection fraction and other risk predictors, VARP’s analysis of arrhythmia occurrence were four to five times more accurate than utilizing standard measures. Trayanova is enthusiastic, stating that VARP is “…better than any other arrhythmia prediction method that is out there.”
With the newest in technology, such as VARP and ReactDx’s own TelePatchTM 3-in-1 Monitoring System, cardiac patients are experiencing a better quality of life. Contact ReactDx at 800-234-3278 (800-23-HEART) to ask how our line of ambulatory cardiac monitors can assist your patients.
