Bid to cut strokes in a heartbeat
New 30-second test aims to screen 60,000 Hongkongers for abnormal heart rhythms, which raise risk of developing host of health problems
The software can be run on a smartphone and patients simply have to place a finger on a small sensor. University of Hong Kong researchers hope to screen 60,000 people over the two-year trial.
Traditional electrocardiography requires patients to disrobe and lie down. Electrodes are placed on the body to record the electrical impulses that occur at each heartbeat over about five minutes.
People with abnormal heartbeats are five times more likely to suffer from strokes and have a higher risk of developing other health problems that can lead to heart failure, said Dr David Siu Chung-wah, of HKU's department of medicine.
"We hope that by identifying the condition as soon as possible and offering early treatment, fewer people will have to suffer strokes," said Siu, adding it could help one in every 37 people with atrial fibrillation avoid a stroke.
"It was traditionally believed that the likelihood of Chinese people suffering strokes related to atrial fibrillation was much lower than for Westerners," said Siu. "However, this old belief has been discarded as data collected by HKU proved the chances were the same."