New Atlas

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Wrist-worn device designed to detect heart problems

Ben Coxworth March 26, 2019

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heartbeat, potentially leading to serious outcomes such as strokes if left untreated. Unfortunately, it's difficult to detect in its early stages. An international team of scientists is hoping to help, with a prototype wrist-worn device.

It is hoped that the device will provide better protection than occasional visits to clinics

Medical

Techy toilet seat made to monitor heart patients

Ben Coxworth March 21, 2019

In the not-too-distant future, when congestive heart failure patients are being released from hospital, they may be given a special toilet seat to take home. That device would measure their vital signs every time they sit on it, sending alerts if more heart trouble was detected.

Nicholas Conn with one of the prototype toilet seats

Medical Audio available

Heart attack-detecting smartphone app almost as accurate as an ECG

Rich Haridy November 11, 2018

A newly developed smartphone app has shown promise for determining if a person is suffering from a serious heart attack. A study into the app's accuracy revealed it was almost as effective as a traditional electrocardiogram (ECG) at identifying a serious form of heart attack.

A smartphone-based system has proven almost as accurate as conventional ECG diagnostic tools for detecting a ...

Medical

Implant brings heart medication right to the target

Ben Coxworth June 12, 2018

After a heart attack occurs, non-beating scar tissue forms on the part of the organ that was affected – and this can lead to heart failure. There could be new hope, however, in the form of an implanted device that delivers medication directly to that tissue.

The Therepi medication-dispensing reservoir would be sutured onto the diseased heart tissue

Medical

Blood test promises rapid and portable diagnoses of heart attacks

Rich Haridy June 5, 2018

A new blood test that can rapidly diagnose heart attacks has undergone further testing verifying it can nearly immediately identify whether a patient has had a heart attack or not.

A new blood test promises near instant diagnosis of a heart attack using a newly discovered ...

Medical

Vest sees through chests, to check heart patients' lungs

Ben Coxworth June 20, 2017

According to The Ohio State University, over half of all patients who are treated for heart failure end up back in the hospital within six months, due to fluid buildup in their lungs. Sensible Medical has set out to change that, however, with a wearable device known as the SensiVest.

Health & Wellbeing

Life-saving app gets civilians restarting hearts

Ben Coxworth June 19, 2017

When someone has a cardiac arrest, their chance of survival decreases by 10 percent for every minute that passes before they receive treatment. That's why an app has been created, that finds civilians who are trained in CPR and gets them to the location of cardiac arrest victims.

The First Responder App locates civilians trained in CPR, and directs them to nearby cardiac arrest ...

Automotive

Toyota investigates heart-monitoring vehicles to prevent accidents

Rich Haridy June 7, 2017

Heart attacks behind the wheel are dangerous not only for the the driver but for everyone else on the road. Toyota has recently joined forces with a team of researchers at the University of Michigan to explore the potential of creating a cardiac monitoring system that could be built into cars.

Toyota is working with the University of Michigan in exploring how cardiac monitoring technology could be ...

Medical

Soft robotic heart sleeve helps pump blood

Lisa-Ann Lee January 18, 2017

Heart failure is a multi-billion-dollar problem with no readily available solution in sight. Could a soft-robotic implant that mimics the natural motion of the heart bring us closer to one?

A soft robotic sleeve that fits around the heart could open the door to a new ...

Medical

Outer layer of human heart regrown using stem cells

Colin Jeffrey January 15, 2017

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have used human stem cells to regenerate the cells that cover the external surface of a human heart. The new research may one day help replace damaged tissues caused by a heart attack or genetic defects

Human stem cells have been used to regenerate the cells that cover the external surface of ...