SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- iRhythm Technologies, Inc., a leading digital health care solutions company focusing on the advancement of cardiac care, today announced a recent study that found the use of continuous ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring increased the detection and diagnosis of silent atrial fibrillation (AFib) in asymptomatic patients with known risk factors. The study, "Feasibility of Extended Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Monitoring to Identify Silent Atrial Fibrillation in High-risk Patients: The Screening Study for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation," was published in Clinical Cardiology.
Researchers used iRhythm's ZIO® Service, a non-invasive, leadless, cardiac monitor that can record and store up to two weeks of ECG data, to evaluate the feasibility of extended outpatient screening for AFib in patients with risk factors, but no prior diagnosis of AFib or embolic history.
"In a high-risk population that had absolutely no symptoms or clinical indication of arrhythmias, we found atrial fibrillation in 5 percent of subjects using extended, patch-based screening," said lead author Mintu Turakhia, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine atStanford University and Chief of Electrophysiology at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. "This pilot study shows that not only is systematic screening of atrial fibrillation feasible, but it enables us to treat patients before they develop complications from AFib such as stroke. This data moves the needle toward thinking of AFib much like diabetes or hypertension where we need to screen patients up front to pre-empt adverse outcomes later."
The study, which was funded by iRhythm, found that extended ECG screenings for high-risk patients asymptomatic of AFib led to the detection of AFib in 5.3 percent of subjects and sustained atrial tachycardia identified in 11 percent of subjects.
"We are pleased to see the growing body of clinical evidence that supports the need for continuous heart monitoring to detect AFib, which may occur without symptoms," said Judy Lenane, RN, MHA, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of iRhythm Technologies, Inc. "Solutions such as ZIO® Patch analyze beat-to-beat data in its entirety and provide a comprehensive picture of a patient's health to physicians."
The ZIO Service can monitor and store patients' heartbeats for up to 14 days and provides diagnostic support services that deliver clear, actionable information to physicians. It has been used with nearly 300,000 patients at nearly 1,000 institutions across the U.S.
About iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
iRhythm is a leading digital healthcare company focused on cardiac arrhythmia detection. The company combines wearable biosensor devices with mobile and cloud-based technology to improve how heart arrhythmias are diagnosed and managed. iRhythm's digital health technology and diagnostic support services provide clear, actionable information for physicians, and are clinically proven to enhance clinical decision making and lower healthcare costs. Its flagship solution, the ZIO Service, offers a proven approach to long-term continuous monitoring that enables diagnosis earlier in the clinical pathway to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. For more information, please visit www.irhythmtech.com.
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SOURCE iRhythm Technologies, Inc.