Irregular heartbeat detection is not as reliable as AF detection.
Microlife WatchBP Office provides a solution that makes screening for important cardiovascular risks easy, fast and accurate and the WatchBP Home A device measures blood pressure like a normal blood pressure monitor, but at the same time it can detect a condition called atrial fibrillation.
WHAT IS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AFib)?
AFib is the most common type of irregular heartbeat that often causes the heart to beat too quickly. One of the biggest concerns with AFib is the risk of stroke. In fact, people with AFib have approximately 5 times greater risk of stroke than those who do not have AFib. It is estimated that by 2030, approximately 12 million people in the U.S. will have AFib.
HOW CAN AFib LEAD TO A STROKE?
During a normal heartbeat, the upper chambers (atria) and lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart work together to pump blood to the rest of the body. AFib occurs when the upper chambers of the heartbeat irregularly, and do not pump all of the blood to the lower chambers, causing some blood to pool and potentially form clots. If a clot breaks loose, it can travel through the bloodstream to the brain and lead to a stroke. Strokes related to AFib are often more severe compared to strokes with other underlying causes.
People with AFib have approximately 5 times greater risk of stroke
Arrhythmia detection during automated BP measurement
“Several BP monitors with irregular heartbeat detector (IHB), also called arrhythmia detectors, have been available on the market for a long time. These devices generally have an algorithm which signals when the heartbeat rhythm varies more than 25% from the average heartbeat detected during BP measurement. A few clinical studies investigating the accuracy of IHB in detecting AF showed high specificity for IHB but at the cost of low sensitivity, which led to the conclusion that the IHB detector should not be used for AF screening. The US Food and Drug administration has provided clearance, otherwise known as 510K, for several of these IHB detector BP monitors. According to the FDA, specific manufacturer claims should be accompanied by respective and appropriate evidence. In that context it may seem strange that these IHB detecting monitors were cleared without clinical evidence supporting the diagnostic accuracy of the IHB detecting algorithm. The reason for this is because, according to the FDA, an “irregular heartbeat detection feature” claim does not present a “disease” diagnosis. The main purpose of the IHB detector, therefore, is not to diagnose arrhythmias but rather to serve as a warning message indicating that the BP reading may not be accurate because of the presence of arrhythmia.” (Huppertz_2019_AF_O3)
With irregular heartbeat detection not being as reliable as AF detection, the WatchBP Home A device measures blood pressure and also detects atrial fibrillation. Purchase here today to better help protect your patients.