Remote Monitoring

Remote cardiac monitoring technologies enable patient health to be tracked outside the clinical setting. It can be used for longer term monitoring to help diagnosis arrhythmias or other cardiac conditions. Remote monitoring also can keep tabs on chronic conditions such as heart failure or hypertension and alert clinicians to worsening symptoms to avoid an acute care episode or hospitalization.

FDA clears Google smartwatch tech that calls 911 when a user’s heart stops
Google worked with AI specialists, cardiologists and even stunt performers to develop its new smartwatch feature.
Wearable heart device company to go public, raise up to $155M
Kestra Medical Technologies, known for its wearable heart monitors and defibrillators, intends to sell 10 million common shares priced somewhere between $14 and $16 per share.
FDA announces Class I recall of Boston Scientific pacemakers—replacement may be necessary
These safety issues have been linked to more than 800 injuries and two deaths. It is possible, the FDA warned, that some patients may require a device to be removed and replaced.
Post-stroke follow-up care considerably worse for women than men
Female stroke survivors are less likely to receive a cardiology referral or undergo cardiac monitoring than their male counterparts.
FDA warns of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in patient monitors
The agency said Contec and Epsimed monitors connected via WiFi are particularly susceptible to cyberattack and could be used to gain access to hospital systems.

New expert guidelines highlight the importance of quickly diagnosing and treating CIED infections

Though removal of the affected CIED is typically the smartest treatment option—and one supported by specialty groups all over the world—a majority of patients keep living with the device, often resulting in hospitalization or even death.

FDA announces recall of nearly 88,000 implantable cardiac devices due to risk of serious injury or death

The recall is related to short circuit protection (SCP) alerts that were causing the devices to send reduced-energy electric shocks. There have been 27 customer complaints about the issue so far.

AFib screening using wearable devices found to be cost-effective for patients as young as 50

While current guidelines endorse screening for people aged 65 and above, a massive simulation published in JAMA Health Forum suggests that cost-effectiveness may extend to even younger age groups.

Cardiac scale gains FDA clearance, putting patients 1 step away from a heart assessment

The newly cleared device works like a traditional scale, but it captures more data than just the user's weight.

KardiaBand outperforms Apple Watch in diagnosing AFib, but a cardiologist’s perspective is still crucial

The study's authors noted that the ECG acquisition technology in these wearable devices appears to be quite effective. The automated algorithms, however, could still be improved.

LVAD patients spend nearly 1 in 4 days seeking care — is there a more effective way?

The study's authors noted that LVADs consistently lead to strong outcomes, but improvements are still needed to reduce the burden on patients.

Edward Fry, MD, is the 2022-23 ACC president.

VIDEO: ACC president shares his key takeaways from ACC 2022

American College of Cardiology (ACC) President Edward T. A. Fry, MD, of the Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, discusses the first in-person ACC meeting in three years and the impact of COVID-19 on cardiology practice.

Hello Heart raises $70M as digital therapeutics demand soars

Hello Heart, a digital therapeutics company that focuses on heart health, has raised $70 million in a Series D funding round.

Remote Monitoring

FDA clears Google smartwatch tech that calls 911 when a user’s heart stops

Wearable heart device company to go public, raise up to $155M

FDA announces Class I recall of Boston Scientific pacemakers—replacement may be necessary

Post-stroke follow-up care considerably worse for women than men

FDA warns of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in patient monitors