Seismic Heart - Seismocardiographic Monitoring of Heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition where many patients are hospitalized due to worsening of their condition. Worldwide it is estimated that 64 mill people suffer from HF [1] and it is estimated that in 2030 the direct HF cost will be 53.1 billion USD in the USA, where hospitalizations account for more than 70% of the cost.
Remote monitoring is becoming recognized as an approach for the adjustment of medication in a timely manner to reduce mortality and hospitalization rates in HF patients. However traditional remote monitoring methods based on self-reported symptoms and vital sign monitoring such as weight, blood pressure, and heart rate has mixed and moderate effect [2]. Reasons for the moderate effect are patient compliance and that vital signs and symptoms respond very slowly, meaning that the time from HF congestion to manifestation in vital signs might be up to 30 days.
The aim of the current project is to develop and validate a wearable electro-mechanical (eMech) patch for remote cardiac monitoring. The eMech patch is an algorithm-enhanced acoustic sensor combined with a single lead ECG placed on the patient’s chest wall for up to 30 days. Continuous monitoring of cardiovascular mechanics is a novel and unique opportunity to quantify cardiac function. Currently, ECG-based E-patches offer remote electrophysiology monitoring, while cardio mechanical measures are quantifiable as spot measurements using echocardiology (ECHO) and magnetic resonance imaging.
Continuous monitoring of cardiovascular mechanics would allow early detection of HF congestion long before symptom manifestation and changes in vital signs. This will allow timely and individualized interventions to avoid worsening, reduce patient anxiety and ultimately reduce hospitalization and death. In the current project, we will demonstrate that the eMech patch can detect and predict HF congestion in patients that has been discharged from HF-related hospitalization.

Heart failure is a severe heart disease, where the heart’s ability to pump blood is
unsatisfactory. The consequence is a high risk of hospitalization and death. Heart
failure is treated with medicine which relieves symptoms and slows down the disease
progression. This medical treatment needs routine adjustment, but in many cases, this
adjustment is not done timely, which results in life treating conditions where the patients
need acute hospitalization. Remote health monitoring of HF patients has the potential to
ensure timely adjustment. However, only sensors placed inside the blood vessels of the
lung, have been shown effective. The disadvantage is that the placement of the sensor
requires surgery. This makes the method costly and poses a risk for the patient. The
aim of the current project is to develop a small intelligent patch, which can measure the
heart’s function from the outside of the body. The method will be low-cost, simple to use
and will not pose a risk to the patient.