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Can an mHealth Wearable Help People With AF Manage Their Care?

Researchers say an mHealth wearable that attaches to the ear can help people with atrial fibrillation and their care providers. The digital health device has been used to treat epilepsy and could replace medication or surgery.

Source: ThinkStock

By Eric Wicklund

- Researchers are finding promise in an mHealth wearable that would improve care management for people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

The mobile health device, which attaches to the ear, reportedly uses transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation to reduce AF burden. Researchers say it’s been used to treat epilepsy and could give those living with AF and their care providers an alternative to medication, surgery or frequent trips to the doctor’s office or hospital.

The results of a clinical trial were presented this week at Heart Rhythm 2019, the Heart Rhythm Society’s 40th Annual Scientific Sessions, in San Francisco.

"Our clinical trial introduces a novel self-administered, non-invasive therapy for patients newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation,” lead author Stavros Stavrakis, MD, PhD, of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, said in a press release. “There are cases when drug therapy or surgery are not the optimal options, so this has the potential to serve as another approach for patients."

"It was encouraging to see the significant reduction in AF burden and that the device was well received in terms of adherence rate,” he added. “This approach opens the door to a new way of thinking about AF management and showcases that we can push boundaries to help advance patient care."

Andrew Krahn, MD, of the University of British Columbia and St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, said the treatment could help in care management for people who can’t or don’t want to take medication, don’t adhere to medication therapy or want to avoid ablation.

“That population is just looking for something less invasive than ablation to try to mitigate how bad their AF is, but when you look at the scope of atrial fibrillation, that’s still a big population,” he said following Stavrakis’ presentation at Heart Rhythm 2019, as reported by TCTMD.

The ear clip is the latest device in a long and growing list of mHealth and telehealth projects aimed at improving care management and coordination for the estimated 33.5 million people around the globe who are living with AF. While many projects aim to better detect and monitor AF, this device fits into the digital therapeutic category, aimed at improving care and outcomes for people who can’t or don’t follow traditional treatment protocols.

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