Scientists in the US have developed an electronic stick-on patch that can monitor the heart and detect signs of illness, such as irregular rhythm, before they cause serious problems.
The ultra-thin patch — called an ‘e-tattoo’ because it looks like a temporary tattoo sticker — has two wired sensors incorporated into its design which continuously measure two functions of the heart.
It can carry out both an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity, and a seismocardiogram (SCG), which measures the vibrations generated by heart valves as they open and close when the heart beats.
The e-tattoo, which is roughly the size of a credit card, is the first mobile device to be able to carry out both these tests, allowing the electrical and mechanical functions of the heart to be monitored at the same time.
The developers, from the University of Texas at Austin, say it could be a major boost in tackling heart disease by detecting problems early, when they are much easier to treat.
In the UK, for example, it’s estimated that there are over 300,000 people with undetected atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart rhythm disorder which raises the risk of stroke.
The e-tattoo could also be offered to people with symptoms of heart disease, such as nausea, heartburn and sweating.
"If we can have continuous, mobile monitoring at home, then we can do early diagnosis and treatment, and if that can be done, 80 per cent of heart disease can be prevented," says Nanshu Lu, a professor in the department of aerospace and engineering mechanics, where the device has been developed.
Currently, patients with suspected heart disease are monitored in hospital or are given cumbersome devices to use at home. The e-tattoo is less intrusive and more comfortable to wear.
And while smart watches can carry out an ECG, to date, they are not able to perform an SCG, which is normally checked using a stethoscope. When these two tests are combined, they provide vital information about how efficiently blood is pumping through the heart.
The data collected by the e-tattoo is sent via Bluetooth to an app, which can be viewed by the patient’s medical team.
The e-tattoo itself is attached to the chest like a medical dressing — and it is powered by a very small battery, which lasts for around 40 hours and can be easily changed by the user. So far, researchers have tested the patch on five healthy men in their 20s and found it had a low error rate compared with other available monitoring options, reported the journal Advanced Electronic Materials in April. Larger studies are planned.
"Our work manifests that chest e-tattoos have the potential to eventually become a medical-grade, long-term, ambulatory cardiovascular monitoring tool," the researchers said.
Chris Gale, a professor in cardiovascular medicine at the University of Leeds, said: "The technology for continuous monitoring of a person’s heartbeat is advancing at an amazing pace.
"Small, non-intrusive wearables such as this, that allow the monitoring of heartbeats for long periods of time, will allow the detection and diagnosis of many more arrhythmias, as well as offering reassurance to patients who may have symptoms yet have normal heart beats."
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