Implantable ECG Monitor Reduces Patient Cardiac Risk

A life saving implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) continuously monitors changes in the ST segment of the beating heart's rhythm, detecting potential cardiac problems.

The AnalyST ICD with ST monitoring continuously monitors specific changes in the heart's electrical system that can indicate conditions such as ischemia. Small changes in ST segment are continuously and precisely recorded and plotted, and then retrieved for the physician to review the electrocardiogram (ECG) during patient follow-up visits. Since many cardiac episodes are transient in nature, continuous ST monitoring is important as it gives physicians more comprehensive information over time rather than a sporadic, hit-and-miss diagnostic report. Physicians will also soon be able to monitor the patients' ST segment changes via remote transmissions, using a wireless remote monitoring system, and will receive alerts through the Merlin patient care network (please see related links below).

In addition to the ST monitoring diagnostic, the AnalyST ICD includes therapy-enhancing features, such as DeFT Response technology - designed to help devices meet the needs of patients who may have high defibrillation thresholds (DFTs) with programmable shocking vectors and waveforms (pulse width and tilt). This enables the physician to tailor device therapy for individual patients, offering them added protection in the event of a life-threatening arrhythmia.

The ventricular intrinsic preference (VIP) algorithm is another feature, which provides a delay in device stimulation of the ventricles to allow the patient's own heart rhythm to prevail when possible. The VIP technology is designed to provide device stimulation only when needed, which has been shown to be better for patients' overall heart health. Additionally, a vibrating patient notifier signals patients if the device is not performing as designed; this can be especially beneficial for people with hearing loss. The AnalyST ICD is a product of St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, MN, USA), and has received regulatory approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW; Tokyo); it is not approved for use in the United States.

"The AnalyST ICD is the only implantable device that provides ST segment monitoring reports via high-quality, intracardiac electrograms, as well as additional ST segment diagnostic reports,” said Morio Shoda, M.D., an associate professor at the department of cardiology at Tokyo Women's Medical University (Japan). "I look forward to accessing this new and valuable information for more insight into the condition of my ICD patients with ischemia or idiopathic VF, including Brugada syndrome.”

The surface ECG is the gold standard for diagnosing risk for heart tissue damage and arrhythmias. However, surface ECG has several limitations: it provides only a few seconds of information at a time, it cannot be used to monitor the patient continuously over a long period, and it is susceptible to poor signal quality.

Related Links:
Merlin.net
St. Jude Medical
Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare