New ICM Aids Long-Term Arrhythmia Diagnostics

An innovative insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) can detect arrhythmias associated with conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF), cryptogenic stroke, and syncope.

The Boston Scientific (Marlborough, MA, USA) LUX-Dx ICM was designed with a dual-stage algorithm that detects and then verifies potential arrhythmias such as AF, atrial flutter, rhythm pause, and bradycardia and tachycardia episodes. It can also detect arrhythmias whenever pre-established thresholds or parameters are exceeded. An additional level of verification filters is then applied, designed to identify false positives before an alert is sent.

After implantation, patients are provided with a mobile device preloaded with the MyLUX app, which connects via Bluetooth to their ICM device. The app transmits device data daily, or as needed, to the Boston Scientific Latitude Clarity Data Management System, giving physicians and care teams timely access to vital information. Remote programming capabilities are also available via the Latitude Clarity website, so that physicians and care teams can adjust event detection settings without requiring an in-person patient appointment.

“For physicians, receiving accurate monitoring data and having remote access to programming provides the opportunity to operate with more efficiency and confidence,” said Kenneth Stein, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of rhythm management and global health policy at Boston Scientific. “The LUX-Dx ICM System is designed to provide physicians the ability to accelerate critical clinical decisions and allow them to spend more time focusing on patient outcomes by reviewing monitoring data and catching false positive detections without compromising sensitivity.”

An ICM is a valuable tool for the detection of arrhythmias in different patient populations, especially in those with recurrent unexplained syncope. Recently, the indication for ICMs has been expanded to other patient populations where the benefit is less clearly established, including in patients who are at moderate risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular tachycardia (VT), and to those with inherited cardiomyopathy or channelopathy.

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