Miniature Cardiac Implant Captures Heart Rhythm Data

A smartphone compatible insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) helps physicians and patients monitor abnormal heart rhythms remotely.

The Abbott (Abbott Park, IL, USA) Confirm Rx ICM is a slim, discreet subcutaneous implant that continuously monitors a patient's heart rhythm, providing powerful data to help monitor irregular heartbeats, unexplained syncope, palpitations, and suspected atrial fibrillation (AF). The rhythm data is proactively transmitted wirelessly to the myMerlin mobile app, which is available in over 35 languages. MyMerlin mobile also helps patients to record their symptoms on their own smartphone, as well as specify events such as fainting, or if they experience a fast heart rate.

The Confirm Rx ICM limits communication to a single authenticated myMerlin mobile app, and all wireless communications are encrypted using the highest standards in mobile security. This allows patients to sync their data with their clinic at any time, and view their transmission history without having to contact their clinic to confirm successful data transfers. Patients can also get automatic alerts when they have missed a scheduled transmission, saving the clinic from having to follow up with the patient.

“Confirm Rx shows what we can do with cutting edge communication technology and the most advanced medical devices that provide new opportunities to improve patient care,” said Avi Fischer, MD, medical director of Abbott's Cardiac Rhythm Management business. “By offering a device that uses Bluetooth wireless technology from the patient's smartphone, we can help physicians easily and remotely diagnose potentially dangerous abnormal heart beats, without requiring the patient to use a separate or cumbersome recording device.”

The Confirm Rx ICM system was developed by St. Jude Medical (SJM, St. Paul, MN, USA), which was acquired by Abbot in January 2017 for USD 25 billion with the intention of creating a premier medical device company. An extensive development pipeline is expected to deliver a steady stream of new medical devices across cardiovascular, diabetes, vision, and neuromodulation patient care.