Screening of atrial fibrillation, an often silent heart rate disorder, could perhaps soon be doable on a daily basis, thanks to sensors installed on supermarket trolleys.
- Atrial fibrillation is a heart rate disorder. It is silent and dangerous.
- A device to detect atrial fibrillation was tested on supermarket trolleys.
- It would ultimately make it possible to detect more widely and earlier atrial fibrillation and therefore to save lives.
The more willed the screening for atrial fibrillation, the earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances of patient survival. According to a study presented in 2023 at the scientific congress of the European Cardiology Society (acnap),, Researchers have developed a new large -scale screening technique thanks to Sensors installed on racing trucks.
Atrial fibrillation, a silent and dangerous disease
One of the authors said that the device could diagnose most people without affecting their daily lives. “” “In two months, we identified 39 patients who were unaware that they suffered from atrial fibrillation, indicates Ian Jones, in a press release. These 39 most at risk [de faire] a stroke [accident vasculaire cérébral] had an appointment with a cardiologist.»
In France, 1 % of the population has atrial fibrillation, according to Health insurance. And the proportion of people affected by this cardiac arrhythmia increases with age: more than 10 % of over 80 years are reached. According to the same source, 20 to 30 % of strokes are secondary to atrial fibrillation. It is therefore a dangerous disease that can remain silent for a long time. Patients often discover it too late, when they are victims of a stroke … Early detection is particularly important.
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Detect atrial fibrillation on a daily basis
The system used by scientists is simple: on supermarket trolleys, they have installed sensors capable of analyzing the heart rate of users. 2,155 adults participated in this test. After use of this cart, 220 people saw a red light on the sensor (if it were green it meant that the heart rate was normal) and/or an irregular pulse, suggesting atrial fibrillation. Then, a cardiologist examined the electrocardiograms (ECG) – a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart – participants. Among them, 115 did not suffer from atrial fibrillation, 46 had not clear recordings and 59 received a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.
Thanks to more advanced tests, the researchers discovered that only a quarter in half of the atrial fibrillation people with the cart really suffered from this pathology. This means that there are a lot of false positives. “” “Almost 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 worrying about being monitored, said Ian Jones. This shows that most people accept the principle [du chariot] and that it deserves to be tested [dans le cadre] of a broader study.”According to the researcher, detect people in a current life situation like races in the supermarket“East [une piste] promising to prevent cerebral vascular accidents and save lives.»
