“That was easy.”
Those are the words of Sharon Saey-Abel, who today was the first patient in St. Louis to receive a new heart monitoring device called the Reveal Linq. Using wireless technology, the device will send information on Sharon’s heart rhythm to her physicians for daily updates on her heart’s progress.
It’s important because many patients have unexplained dizziness, fainting or even stroke caused by abnormal heart rhythms and need monitoring to find out more details.
Not long ago, the option for patients was an external monitor, but the drawback was a patient would have to wear it during an episode. In addition, many patients feel external monitors are difficult to wear and struggle with how to put them on. Also, external devices only record 30 days of heart rhythm, limiting the amount of data a physician can study.
Not this.
The Reveal Linq device – about 1/3 the size of a AAA battery – is implanted by electrophysiologists under the skin near a patient’s chest through a syringe like device. It records an electrocardiogram (ECG) for up to three years. Because it can monitor continuously for up to three years, the likelihood of capturing heart rhythm information during an infrequent episode is probable.
Find out more about the Reveal Linq on our SLUHeart site here.
