AliveCor has announced that in partnership with more than 100 pharmacies across North East London, free heart checks are being offered as part of Heart Rhythm Week, an international campaign from 2-6 June 2014. These pharmacies are a few of the first in the country to adopt the new National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance, which supports the early detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) during the measurement of blood pressure. Participating pharmacies can screen for AF using the AliveCor heart monitor. Blood pressure screenings are also being offered to screen for hypertension.
Community screening using the AliveCor heart monitor in pharmacies has been shown to be both feasible and cost effective in helping physicians identify people with AF.
“We look forward to working alongside the National Health Service (NHS) and local doctors to detect early signs of heart problems. We invite everyone to come to one of our participating pharmacies this Heart Rhythm Week and get their heart and blood pressure checked,” says Hemant Patel, the secretary of the committee representing local pharmacists. “We hope to learn how community pharmacies and early detection can help with the prevention of heart conditions.”
“Last year during Heart Rhythm Week more than 1,500 people came out to have their hearts checked, with approximately 15 cases of previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation detected,” says Euan Thomson, president and chief executive officer at AliveCor. “We are delighted to offer the community access to AF screenings with the AliveCor heart monitor, a convenient way for patients to track their heart health anytime, anywhere, at an affordable cost.”
The AliveCor Heart Monitor received CE mark conformity in December 2012 and is the only mobile ECG recorder that supports both iOS and Android mobile devices. It records, displays, stores, and transfers single-channel ECG rhythms wirelessly, using the free AliveECG app. With secure storage in an EU data-law compliant cloud, users can access their data confidentially anytime, anywhere, and can grant access to their doctor.
