Asymptomatic A-Fib

Ambulatory monitoring:
keeping an eye on known and unknown conditions

Sometimes we can avoid developing a serious disease or prevent worse symptoms from appearing by catching the signals early. Continuous monitoring can help healthcare professionals check their patient’s health status more frequently and catch conditions that they may not even be aware of. Monitoring signals from the heart can provide a wealth of information about our health. Ambulatory monitoring is a type of monitoring that takes place over 24 hours rather than just while you are at a doctor’s appointment, taking into account your behaviors, sleep, and activities rather than just one point in time. Going to see the doctor may even cause higher blood pressure due to stress during the appointment (see “white coat syndrome”)!

Keeping tabs on your condition

If you have a diagnosed heart condition, such as atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) then your doctor will want to keep an eye on your health to get you the help you need quickly. Patients with A-Fib have an abnormal heart rate which can cause blood clots to form. This leads to an increased risk of stroke and heart failure. So once you are diagnosed with this condition, it is extremely important to monitor your heart to catch any symptoms before they get worse, or spot any new ones that appear. Ambulatory monitoring means that your physician receives all the right data and can make an appropriate diagnosis or changes to your treatment plan.

Catching diseases without symptoms

Some diseases can “lie and wait” without showing noticeable signs. Heart conditions, such as asymptomatic A-Fib, can exist for years without being detected. Around 1 in 3 people over the age of 55 experience A-Fib¹ and more cases are caught the longer patients are monitored.

While a disease ‘without symptoms’ may seem less harmful, it could cause very serious health concerns, such as blood clots which can travel to the brain causing ischemic strokes. Approximately 1 in 3 ischemic strokes are cryptogenic² (do not have a clear cause) which can make treating them and preventing future strokes difficult.

For patients with untreated A-Fib, their risk of stroke is three to five times greater³, and their health may be affected more severely afterwards. Administering a certain medication can help avoid another stroke when A-Fib is connected, so it is vital to have all the information for doctors to give the right treatment. Early detection of A-Fib events can reduce the risk of a stroke in the brain.

Monitor your health without constraints

Ambulatory monitoring can follow your health status without the restrictions of a clinical environment. People undergoing this type of monitoring have greater independence and can carry out daily activities, such as shopping, going out to eat, cleaning the house, or playing sports all while your device keeps your doctor informed!

Devices such as the CardiacSense watch can continuously monitor your vital signs for as long as you wear it, picking up on signals that can show up without you noticing them. These are sent to your doctor immediately and can help them choose the next steps in your treatment timeline.

References

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29699974/

[2] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0000000000000375

[3] https://www.wjgnet.com/2307-8960/full/v10/i3/939.htm