AliveCor has updated the capabilities of its mobile ECG devices to identify three additional types of heart conditions, the company announced today.
Sinus rhythm with supraventricular ectopy (SVE), sinus rhythm with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and sinus rhythm with wide QRS are now all on the table of AliveCor’s KardiaMobile line of ECG devices, which already detected atrial fibrillation, bradycardia (slow heart rate) and tachycardia (high heart rate).
The new determinations are the result of an update to AliveCor’s KardiaAI software that was cleared by the FDA in November. According to the filing, the updated software is specifically compatible with the KardiaMobile System, the Triangle System and the Omron Model BP7900 Blood Pressure Monitor + EKG (for which the two heart health device companies partnered back in 2018).
The “Advanced Determinations” features are live today for subscribers to AliveCor’s KardiaCare offering.
WHY IT MATTERS
By better characterizing an individual’s heart rhythm, providers can gain a better understanding of the symptoms patients are demonstrating and how they fit into their overall cardiac health. These patients will be able to record and upload their readings immediately from the comfort of home – a key advantage, in terms of both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulty of spotting intermittent aberrations outside the hospital.
AliveCor’s announcement was also quick to point the new features as a major differentiator between their connected ECG offerings and those of their competitors. On top of selling consumers a six-lead ECG rather than a single-lead device, AliveCor noted that its software-enabled devices provide more detailed information than other personal ECG systems that can only detect general atrial fibrillation.
THE LARGER TREND
AliveCor’s software and devices are an alternative to continuous cardiac monitoring platforms, such as adhesive ECG patches, that gather less detailed readings over a longer period of time.
Rather, much of its immediate competition in the mobile ECG market nowadays comes from consumer products like Apple Watches, Samsung Galaxy Watches and Fitbits, which use built-in sensors and proprietary software to detect atrial fibrillation and encourage wearers to consult a medical professional.
As such, it was little surprise when AliveCor decided to end sales of the KardiaBand, an ECG wristband it designed for use with earlier versions of the Apple Watch during the back half of 2019. What’s more, the mobile ECG maker filed a lawsuit against just a couple months ago alleging that the tech giant’s ECG tools infringe on three cardiac arrhythmia patents held by AliveCor.
AliveCor has been relatively active over the past year or so. Outside of the aforementioned FDA clearance, it kicked off the KardiaCare digital subscription service and raised $65 million from investors.
Its technology was also the subject of a paper published today in the journal Circulation, in which AliveCor and Mayo Clinic researchers developed an AI algorithm that can be used with the company’s six-lead device to estimate readings that normally require a 12-lead ECG.
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