idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Hamburg, July 5, 2007. Since this morning cardiologists at the Hamburg Asklepios Clinics St. Georg have been implanting monitoring devices in miniature for the first time worldwide. The ECG recorders monitor (and thus protect) patients with atrial fibrillation over a time period of three years. So far people affected could only be monitored for up to one week with long-term ECG. Result: Acute worsening of state of health or the lack of efficacy of a therapy were established too late or not at all. Professor Karl-Heinz Kuck, the senior physician of the Hanseatic Heart Center of the Asklepios Clinic St. Georg, stated: "In the coming years this new method can save thousands of people from the fatal consequences of atrial fibrillation."
One million Germans suffer from atrial fibrillation. New device monitors the heart
The new Cardiac Monitor of Medtronic is now being implanted in two patients for continuous monitoring and diagnosis of their atrial fibrillation. The tiny ECG recorder ("Reveal XT") is only as big as a USB memory stick. The device monitors and independently recognizes disorders and records them so that the physician is informed and can treat the patient effectively. Prof. Kuck: Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. According to estimates, the number of affected people will increase to 2.5 million in Germany alone in the coming years."
Invitation to the press conference with Prof. Karl-Heinz Kuck, MD
Agenda
1. Presentation of the new method and miniature ECG recorder
2. Bulletin on the condition of the two patients one day after operation
3. Prognosis of the future treatment of the endemic disease atrial fibrillation
Conference location
Friday, July 6, 2007, 11-12 a.m.
Hamburg: Asklepios Clinic St. Georg (near central station)
Lohmühlenstraße 5, D-20099 Hamburg / Germany. House J, Media Center 2nd floor
area plan: http://www.asklepios.com/sanktgeorg/html/plan/index.asp
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation often affects older people and is difficult to diagnose and to treat because its symptoms often change in the course of the treatment. Furthermore, many people do not feel the typical symptoms of this disease. Atrial fibrillation is accompanied by increased mortality and a twofold to sevenfold increased risk of stroke. There are different methods of treatment. In order to judge their success there have only been snapshots so far. Now, this is going to change with the implantable ECG recorder. The heart rhythm of a patient suffering from atrial fibrillation can now be monitored for up to three years. Prof. Kuck: "This provides us with completely new possibilities to monitor and adjust the treatment individually required."
Atrial fibrillation itself is not life-threatening but may lead to grave aftereffects. In Germany about 15% of strokes per year, i.e. ca. 40,000, can be contributed to this type of cardiac arrhythmia. Due to the lack of pumping capacity of the atria thrombi may form. Later, they can block vessels in the brain or other parts of the body and thus trigger off a stroke. In addition, the risk of heart insufficiency is increased, and an increase in general mortality has been proven.
Fields of operation
If the physician decides on a treatment method, e.g. a punctual obliteration of the conducting cardiac tissue (catheter ablation), he is now able to check using the new monitoring method whether his therapy took effect. So far this has only been possible to a certain limit. The new Reveal XT independently records cardiac arrhythmia, but can manually be activated by the patient to record in the case of perceptible symptoms. The device is subcutaneously implanted near the breast within a minimally invasive surgery.
The Hanseatic Heart Center, which is part of the Asklepios Clinic St. Georg, performs about 1,500 examinations, among them about 1,200 ablations of cardiac arrhythmia, in its electrophysiological laboratories (EPU) every year. This means that one of the biggest facilities worldwide to treat cardiac arrhythmia is situated in the Asklepios Clinic St. Georg. Above all atrial fibrillation (irregular, rapid heart beat) and ventricular arrhythmia are treated here - a therapy which can only be performed in selected centers in Germany.
Asklepios:
Asklepios is one of the leading international clinic chains. The group is responsible for more than 90 facilities, more than 30 day hospitals, 20,000 beds and 34,000 employees in Germany, Europe, the US and in the future also in China. Every year about one million patients entrust their health to Asklepios. With these characteristic numbers and a turnover of about 2.3 billion euros of the overall group, Asklepios is the biggest private clinic chain in the Federal Republic of Germany and in Europe. In the Hanseatic city, the most important clinic market in Germany, the Asklepios Clinics, part of LBK Hamburg, are the biggest private employers with about 11,000 employees. Asklepios Clinics in and around Hamburg are located in the following areas: Altona, Barmbek, Harburg, Klinikum Nord (Ochsenzoll / Heidberg area), St. Georg, Wandsbek, Westklinikum Rissen, Bad Oldesloe, and Bad Schwartau. Further information: http://www.asklepios.com
http://www.asklepios.com/sanktgeorg/html/fachabt/herzzentrum/index.asp
The ECG recorders monitor atrial fibrillation over a time period of three years
Medtronic GmbH / Emanuel-Leutze-Strasse 20 / D-40547 Düsseldorf
None
Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
Ernährung / Gesundheit / Pflege, Medizin
überregional
Forschungs- / Wissenstransfer, Forschungsergebnisse
Englisch
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