<p>The chips in the pills alert a patch attached to the patient's shoulder when swallowed. It also texts the patient if he or she forgets to take medication.<br /><br />The system, known as Raisin, also monitors heart rate, heart activity and how well the patient is sleeping -- all of which may indicate a worsening condition, reports the Daily Mail. <br />It costs a few pence per pill and was initially tested in the US, where it improved the patients' compliance with medicine from 30 percent to 80 percent. <br /><br />If successful, the four-month trial being run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, could lead to a year-long trial. <br />Nicholas Peters, professor of cardiology at Imperial College Healthcare, said the main aim was to encourage heart patients to be regular about dosage. <br />With a stricter medication regime, heart patients are less likely to be admitted to hospital in an emergency. <br /><br />In the trial, the patches will allow doctors to check whether patients have taken their pills, track the heart rate and determine whether they are frequently sitting up at night. <br />This can signal fluid in the lungs which means the dosage needs adjusting. <br /></p>
<p>The chips in the pills alert a patch attached to the patient's shoulder when swallowed. It also texts the patient if he or she forgets to take medication.<br /><br />The system, known as Raisin, also monitors heart rate, heart activity and how well the patient is sleeping -- all of which may indicate a worsening condition, reports the Daily Mail. <br />It costs a few pence per pill and was initially tested in the US, where it improved the patients' compliance with medicine from 30 percent to 80 percent. <br /><br />If successful, the four-month trial being run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, could lead to a year-long trial. <br />Nicholas Peters, professor of cardiology at Imperial College Healthcare, said the main aim was to encourage heart patients to be regular about dosage. <br />With a stricter medication regime, heart patients are less likely to be admitted to hospital in an emergency. <br /><br />In the trial, the patches will allow doctors to check whether patients have taken their pills, track the heart rate and determine whether they are frequently sitting up at night. <br />This can signal fluid in the lungs which means the dosage needs adjusting. <br /></p>