It's impractical to sit and wait it out for hours, not exactly hoping it happens again but wanting answers. It's also unlikely you'll be close to your doctor the next time it does. It's just how the world tends to work.
"Whenever you're dealing with rhythm problems in the heart, being able to identify risk can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. The key is finding out what happened: What’s the cause of your symptoms?" said Dr. Sean C. Beinart, MD, FACC, FHRS, Cardiologist.
How can you diagnose these nomadic symptoms from your body? Especially if you've experienced cardiac problems before?
An insertable cardiac monitor (ICM), which is placed just under the skin during a minimally invasive procedure to continuously monitor your heart's rhythm for signs of atrial fibrillation.
"Prior to the evolution of this technology, the ability to monitor patients was really short-lived. But this allows the monitoring to continue and allows the patient to continue to live their lives unhindered," Beinart said.
Even better: Abbotts Confirm RxTM ICM, which is designed not only to detect arrhythmias but also to wirelessly transmit data via Bluetooth to your smart phone for data transmission to the Merlin.netTM Patient Care Network so your doctor has real-time access anywhere in the world to how your heart is performing.
Abbott's ICM is small and slim. It continuously monitors the heart — taking the onus off you — but offers the capability to instantly record events through one-touch programming via a smartphone app, should you choose to do so.
"The stakes are very high," Beinart said. "What the Confirm Rx does is it gives both me and my patient peace of mind that we've got them covered."
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