Personal ECG Device Measures QTc Interval Prolongation

A non-invasive, hand-held electrocardiogram (ECG) device allows manual QTc interval measurement, an important measure of pharmaceutical side effects.

The AliveCor (San Francisco, CA, USA) KardiaMobile 6L is a six-lead personal ECG device that can detect various arrhythmias by simulating the Einthoven Triangle, an ECG that is taken by placing leads on three limbs (both arms and a leg), thus placing the heart at the center. The result is six different perspectives that are equivalent to leads I, II, II, aVL, aVR, and aVF on a 12-lead ECG. In order to obtain an ECG, users place their thumbs on each of the top-side electrodes and place the bottom electrode on the left knee or the ankle.


Unlike most personal ECGs, such as smartwatches, the KardiaMobile 6L also records lead II data, which provides a far more accurate view of the QTc interval than the lead I view. The KardiaMobile 6L can thus detect atrial fibrillation (AF), bradycardia, tachycardia, QTc, and others measures over a period of just 30 seconds. In order to view the ECG, KardiaMobile 6L is paired via Bluetooth with a smartphone or tablet, and the data is sent to the Kardia app for instant analysis.

“Patient safety is paramount, and this is why we are proud to offer physicians the ability to monitor QTc through the convenience and quality of our device,” said Priya Abani, CEO of AliveCor. “Our aim is to help reduce the burden on our already strained healthcare system, so that clinicians can focus on treating patients. By delivering this service, we are doing just that.”

QTc is a heart rate corrected interval that reflects the integrity of the heart's electrical recharging system. Patients with a prolonged QTc are at greater risk for their hearts to go into a potentially dangerous arrhythmia called Torsades de Pointes, which can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). More commonly, QT prolongation is a potential side effect of more than 100 drugs, including certain antiarrhythmic medicines, cancer therapies, antifungals, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antibiotics, multiple sclerosis (MS) medications, and opioids.

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