The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : New device can sense heart attack

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Saturday, Dec 20, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

New device can sense heart attack

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Madras Medical Mission (MMM) has introduced a new age computer chip based device, the Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD), which can sense a heart attack build-up and emit electrical pulses to restore the heart’s normal contraction rhythm.

Electrophysiologists at the hospital were able to implant the Medtronic – Secura DR to prevent sudden death on a patient who had never in the past showed signs of being vulnerable to a cardiac catastrophe.

“With the technologically advanced AICD we will be able to reduce the mortality rate in this segment.” said Ulhas M. Pandurangi, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist of MMM.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), or the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function, is recognised as a major health hazard that kills more people than some of major cancers in the world.

Unfortunately, about 9 in 10 people under an SCA attack die even before reaching a hospital.

Unlike older generation AICDs the advanced version is capable of not only restoring the normal rhythm of the heart but also detecting fluid accumulation in the lungs due to worsening of the pumping function of the heart.

Remotely connected

The device can be remotely connected to the physician office and hence essentially the patient can be monitored from his home or office.

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