Over 350 Total Lots Up For Auction at Two Locations - NY 03/21, FL 03/22

Wearable remote monitoring in cardiac cases

March 11, 2020
Business Affairs Cardiology Patient Monitors
From the March 2020 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

By Doug Beinborn

Medical advancement in remote monitoring is progressing at a rapid rate thanks to wearable and implantable devices. The consumer market is driving this progress, and the possibilities for the medical-grade market are just being realized.


According to GlobalData forecasts, the wearable tech market was worth approximately $23 billion in 2018 and is predicted to grow to $54 billion by 2023. More than 25% of the current $23 billion market is for medical grade devices — an amount that is projected to more than double by 2025.

Integrating these devices into patient care is expected to drive down costs and improve quality outcomes. Here’s how medical-grade cardiac wearables are already being used in healthcare today:

As a means to monitor patients with suspected arrhythmias (heart rhythm disorders). For patients who are discharged without a clear diagnosis via traditional means such as electrocardiograms (ECGs), inpatient monitoring, Holter monitors or event monitors, wearable devices allow for continuous 15- to 30-day monitoring that captures rhythm abnormalities and guides physicians to appropriate therapy. This improves patient outcomes and potentially helps avoid life-threatening heart arrhythmias.

For the treatment of atrial fibrillation. In 2010 an estimated 5.1 million people were living with A-fib and that number is expected to surpass 12 million by 2030. Through wearable devices doctors are able to diagnose this disorder and assess effectiveness of various treatment strategies with anti-arrhythmic drug therapy, ablation intervention and rate control.

To monitor potassium levels in dialysis patients. Dialysis patients experience abnormal levels of blood potassium (hypo or hyperkalemia), which can lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. Through signal processing by a wearable single-lead ECG, changing morphology can be used to calculate potassium levels and eliminate the need for blood draw and testing.

To diagnose stroke. Traditional testing fails to determine a definitive root cause in about 25% of ischemic stroke patients. Though atrial fibrillation is commonly suspected, ischemic stroke can also be caused from a patent foramen ovale (hole in the heart), thrombophilias (increased risk of blood clotting), or large-artery atherosclerosis. Prolonged monitoring can help diagnose the potential for, and reduce the risk of, recurrent stroke. Wearables make sense for monitoring 30 days or less while injectable technology can be the preferred choice for longer assessments.

Wearable technologies are expanding in capabilities, operating platforms and physiological output. No longer limited to smartwatches, new wearables include smart clothing, where electronics can be incorporated into shirts, pants, shoes, blankets, wristbands, and hats to obtain physiological data. Jewelry including rings, necklaces, and bracelets are in development application for medical and personal use. The potential for these devices to transform patient care is revolutionary, but implementation and integration into healthcare will take time.

You Must Be Logged In To Post A Comment