New | Free tests will use mobile technology to screen for abnormal heartbeats
New mobile technology that can detect if a person has an abnormal heartbeat in 30 seconds will be put to use as part of a free screening programme in Hong Kong that hopes to identify people at high risk of strokes or heart failure.
Using a small device and software that can be run on a smartphone or tablet, University of Hong Kong researchers hope to screen 60,000 people for irregular heart rhythms, focusing on elderly people and those with conditions such as diabetes.
Patients simply place their fingers on the device, and within 30 seconds will see if their heartbeat is a cause for concern.
The technology, developed in the United States, has a 99 per cent accuracy rate, said Dr Michael Chan Pak-hei of the HKU’s department of medicine.
People with abnormal heartbeats are five times more likely to suffer from strokes, and are at increased risk of developing other problems in the long term that can lead to heart failure.
Dr David Siu Chung-wah of the medicine department said atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm, affects about 1 per cent of Chinese people and often presents no symptoms – or symptoms that are not spotted.
“We hope that by identifying the condition as soon as possible and offering early treatment, fewer people will have to suffer from stroke, “ said Siu.
The two-year pilot screening programme will begin in five public family clinics in Western District in September this year, running until August 2016.
Doctors usually check for irregular heart rhythms using electrocardiography equipment, requiring the patient to disrobe and lie down on a bed. Most traditional tests take about 20 minutes.
The new technology means tests can be carried out anywhere, and in a fraction of the time.
