Canada-based CardioComm Solutions has presented the atrial fibrillation (AF) screening study results from use of its HeartCheck ECG monitor during Vascular 2013 at the Canadian Stroke Congress in Montreal.
These electrocardiogram (ECG) screening results showed a 2.1% AF prevalence with new AF diagnosis found in 0.7% of screened participants.
According to the company, the ECG identification of AF by using its HeartCheck monitor demonstrated superior performance over manual pulse check.
In addition, it was found that AF positive participants were in AF for the duration of the 30 second screening period.
A protocol for the national program, which screened for AF as a risk factor for stroke in 1,334 participants, was developed by the researchers from three University of Toronto teaching hospitals and the Centre for Innovation in Complex Care.
The AF screening study, which was designed to test the feasibility and yield for AF detection in mass public-screening events, was conducted in association with the Heart and Stroke Foundations' 2013 'Be Pulse Aware' screening campaign.
CardioComm Solutions' HeartCheck ECG monitor has been selected as the tool to detect AF by ECG, compared to a manual pulse check.
The obtained ECGs were then re-examined by using the company's GlobalCardio ECG analysis software within the Smart Monitoring ECG services solution.
AF screening study was conducted in 1,334 participants, with an average age of 63 years representing an at-risk population for AF and stroke.
The clinical relevance of single assessment population arrhythmia screening and the utility of ECG based screening versus pulse checks alone have been examined in this study.