In September, St. Jude Medical announced approval of its first radiofrequency wireless devices for patients with heart failure and arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). Promote RF CRT-D (which stands for radiofrequency cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator) and Current RF ICD (radiofrequency implantable cardioverter defibrillator) use frequencies that allow programmers to remotely monitor a patient’s heart. The device is implanted into a patient’s chest to monitor abnormally fast, slow, or irregular heartbeats, which can lead to sudden death. The devices wirelessly communicate with a doctor or clinician’s computer, both remotely and when patients go in for follow-up visits, making device management more efficient and convenient.

Once implanted, the lead—a thin, insulated wire that connects heart tissue to the device—transmits electrical impulses to the heart, then takes information it gathers from the heart back to the device. When a patient comes in for a checkup, a clinician can reprogram the device to alter the pattern or strength of the electrical impulses, if necessary. Enhanced monitoring also gives doctors information about patient activity levels.

The remote, real-time monitoring is an improvement in the field. Kathleen Janasz says that patients using older devices wore units around their necks to gather information from electrodes attached to the chest. The information was then downloaded by the physician.
 
She believes the new products, which are being used at United and other local hospitals, could provide more immediate attention to patients that live in remote geographical areas.