The incorporation of an algorithm to detect atrial fibrillation, a blood pressure monitor at home could be a reliable method of screening for this arrhythmia.
Stergiou of Sotiria Hospital of Athens (Greece) and colleagues assessed the automatic device in 73 people: 27 with atrial fibrillation, 23 with arrhythmia other than atrial fibrillation and 23 reference persons in sinus rhythm.
Overall, rose to 217 blood pressure measurements, all with simultaneous ECG monitoring.
The authors note that when the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation was based in a single measurement, the sensitivity of the algorithm was 93% and specificity of 89%.
Under optimal circumstances (three measurements with at least two to diagnose atrial fibrillation) the sensitivity was 100% and specificity of 89%, indicating a “near perfect match” with the electrocardiograph diagnosis.
Under these optimal circumstances (diagnosis based on two measurements at least three positive) diagnosis of atrial fibrillation was incorrect in five people.
In all these cases, patients had arrhythmia other than atrial fibrillation in the three measurements.
Dr. Stergiou told Reuters Health that long-term self-monitoring of hypertensive patients using a device equipped with an atrial fibrillation detector would allow an earlier diagnosis without additional screening costs.
He added that the “implementation of this technology should be evaluated in other devices for measuring blood pressure and for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring 24-hour blood pressure (especially in patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation), which could also contribute to Early detection of undiagnosed atrial fibrillation and therefore the prevention of stroke. ”
“Additional research is needed on the accuracy of electronic blood pressure monitors in patients with atrial fibrillation, aimed at improving the treatment of hypertension in these patients.”
Tags: blood, blood pressure, digital monitor, measurement
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