<p> Scientists have developed a new smartphone app and a thumb-size device which can detect irregular heartbeat and may help to prevent strokes at an early stage.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The mobile device, developed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has been tested with excellent results for around two years in real-life conditions in cooperation with Turku University Central Hospital.<br /><br />An irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia tends to remain undiagnosed, if no symptoms are detected during monitoring of heart activity.<br /><br />"With the mobile device, users can register their ECG signal whenever arrhythmia or other heart symptoms occur. The device is also suitable for pre- and post-surgery monitoring of heart patients at home," said Timo Varpula, Principal Scientist at VTT.<br /><br />"There is no need for patients to visit a hospital, because the data is sent automatically from a mobile phone to medical staff via a cloud service," said Varpula.<br /><br />The system Beat2Phone accurately measures the user's heart rate and heart rate variability in order to detect not only an irregular heartbeat, but also overburdening and prolonged stress. A high resting heart rate and low heart rate variability are indicators of stress.<br /><br />The app and device measure ECG signals at a very high sampling rate, identify individual heart beats and count the interval between consecutive beats.<br /><br />The device also includes position and activity sensors and is comfortable to wear, researchers said.<br /><br />The mobile device has been tested by heart patients at Turku University Central Hospital, as well as by top athletes with heart conditions, who have been highly satisfied with it.<br /><br />Top athletes and professional sportspersons should monitor their heart activity regularly, because changes in ECG may be an indicator of myocarditis or other serious conditions.<br /><br />The device has so far been tested by around 30 users, some of whom have also worn the device at night.<br /><br />The test users are people who have reported heart symptoms, but who have not experienced symptoms during earlier monitoring.<br /><br />In the tests, the device helped to detect atrial fibrillation, arrhythmia and a cardiac conduction disorder.<br /><br />The patients were admitted for further tests once they had shown their Beat2Phone electrocardiograms to a physician.<br /><br />Persons suffering from harmless irregular heartbeat have also reported improved quality of life due to the measuring device alleviating their uncertainty about their condition.</p>
<p> Scientists have developed a new smartphone app and a thumb-size device which can detect irregular heartbeat and may help to prevent strokes at an early stage.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The mobile device, developed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has been tested with excellent results for around two years in real-life conditions in cooperation with Turku University Central Hospital.<br /><br />An irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia tends to remain undiagnosed, if no symptoms are detected during monitoring of heart activity.<br /><br />"With the mobile device, users can register their ECG signal whenever arrhythmia or other heart symptoms occur. The device is also suitable for pre- and post-surgery monitoring of heart patients at home," said Timo Varpula, Principal Scientist at VTT.<br /><br />"There is no need for patients to visit a hospital, because the data is sent automatically from a mobile phone to medical staff via a cloud service," said Varpula.<br /><br />The system Beat2Phone accurately measures the user's heart rate and heart rate variability in order to detect not only an irregular heartbeat, but also overburdening and prolonged stress. A high resting heart rate and low heart rate variability are indicators of stress.<br /><br />The app and device measure ECG signals at a very high sampling rate, identify individual heart beats and count the interval between consecutive beats.<br /><br />The device also includes position and activity sensors and is comfortable to wear, researchers said.<br /><br />The mobile device has been tested by heart patients at Turku University Central Hospital, as well as by top athletes with heart conditions, who have been highly satisfied with it.<br /><br />Top athletes and professional sportspersons should monitor their heart activity regularly, because changes in ECG may be an indicator of myocarditis or other serious conditions.<br /><br />The device has so far been tested by around 30 users, some of whom have also worn the device at night.<br /><br />The test users are people who have reported heart symptoms, but who have not experienced symptoms during earlier monitoring.<br /><br />In the tests, the device helped to detect atrial fibrillation, arrhythmia and a cardiac conduction disorder.<br /><br />The patients were admitted for further tests once they had shown their Beat2Phone electrocardiograms to a physician.<br /><br />Persons suffering from harmless irregular heartbeat have also reported improved quality of life due to the measuring device alleviating their uncertainty about their condition.</p>