2023-06-24 12:30:00
The more massive the screening for atrial fibrillation, the earlier diagnoses are made and the better the chances of survival for patients with the disease. In a study presented at the Scientific Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (l’ACNAP), researchers have developed a new large-scale screening technique… via sensors installed on shopping carts.
Atrial fibrillation, a silent disease
According to one of the authors, this device might make it possible to diagnose a large part of the population, without disturbing their daily lives. “In two months, we have identified 39 patients who were unaware that they were suffering from atrial fibrillation, underlines Ian Jones, in a communiqué. These 39 people most at risk [de faire] AVC [accident vasculaire cérébral] had an appointment with a cardiologist.”
In France, 1% of the general population suffers from atrial fibrillation, according to health insurance. And the percentage of people affected by this heart rhythm disorder increases with age: more than 10% of people over 80 suffer from it. According to this same source, 20 to 30% of strokes are secondary to atrial fibrillation. A dangerous disease that can remain silent for a long time. Patients sometimes discover it too late, when they have a stroke… The issue of early detection is particularly important.
Screening for atrial fibrillation in daily life to save lives
The device set up by the researchers is simple: they have thus installed sensors on supermarket trolleys capable of analyzing the heart rate of users. In all, 2,155 adults participated in this trial. After using this cart, 220 people had either a red light on the sensor (if it was green it meant that the heart rhythm was normal) and/or an irregular pulse, suggesting atrial fibrillation. Next, a cardiologist examined the participants’ electrocardiograms (ECGs) – a test that studies the functioning of the heart by measuring its electrical activity. For 115 of them there was no atrial fibrillation, for 46 the recordings were unclear and for 59 atrial fibrillation was diagnosed.
After further testing, the researchers established that only a quarter to half of people screened for atrial fibrillation with the Cart actually had the condition. This means that there was a high number of false positives. “Nearly two-thirds of people [à qui nous avons proposé le chariot] were happy to use it, and the vast majority of those who refused were in a hurry rather than worried regarding being watched, says Ian Jones. This shows that most people accept the principle [du chariot] and it deserves to be tested [dans le cadre] of a larger study.” According to the researcher, screening people in a common situation like grocery shopping “is [une piste] promising to prevent strokes and save lives.”
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