Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : November 12, 2018 7:09 PM IST
With the AliveCor app, the two wire leads are moved around the body in order to record all 12 parts. © Shutterstock
Recently, a smartphone app has been developed by the scientists which can identify potentially fatal heart attacks with near accuracy of medical ECG. This may prove to be a valuable tool to save lives. According to the Business Standard report, the researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in the US found that the app can determine if someone is having an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), a heart attack in which the artery is completely blocked and heart activity.
The researchers reportedly said that the app has nearly the same accuracy as a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), which is used to diagnose heart attacks. Researchers said that the findings are significant because the speed of treatment after a STEMI heart attack helps save lives.
J. Brent Muhlestein from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute reportedly said that the sooner the doctors can get the artery open, the better the patient is going to do. They found this app which may dramatically speed things up and save your life.
In the study, 204 patients with chest pain received both a standard 12-lead ECG and an ECG through the AliveCor app, which is administered through a smartphone with a two-wire attachment.
Researchers found the app with the wire set-up effective in distinguishing STEMI from not-STEMI ECGs accurately and with high sensitivity compared to a traditional 12-lead ECG.
Reportedly, Muhlestein also said that they found the app helped them diagnose heart attacks very effectively and it didn't indicate the presence of a heart attack when one wasn't occurring.
A STEMI is a very serious type of heart attack during which one of the heart's major arteries which supply oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the heart muscle is blocked.
The st-segment elevation is an abnormality that is detectable on the 12-lead ECG. Many people can detect their heart rate by using treadmills wear a simple device, through a single ECG lead, more accurate than just checking the pulse.
A typical ECG has 12 leads, which improves the accuracy of a diagnosis because heart attacks happen in different parts of the heart, and each lead looks at a different part, researchers said. With the AliveCor app, the two wire leads are moved around the body in order to record all 12 parts, they said. The app could speed up the urgent treatment a patient needs after suffering a STEMI. The app can take the electrocardiogram on the spot, send the results into the cloud where a cardiologist reviews it immediately and, if a STEMI is found, tell the person so they can be rushed to the hospital. The researchers said that the price of the app with the two-wire extension is low, which could put the power of an ECG into the hands of anyone with a smartphone or smartwatch.
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.