New technology uses smartphones to analyze heart movement and detect heart failure

Founded at the University of Turku and developed by CardioSignal, this new technology uses a smartphone to analyze heart movement and detect heart failure. Five of his organizations in Finland and the United States participated in the study.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to perform its normal function of pumping blood around the body and affects tens of millions of people around the world. This is a serious condition that develops as a result of many cardiovascular diseases, and its symptoms may require repeated hospitalizations.

Heart failure is difficult to diagnose because symptoms such as shortness of breath, unusual fatigue during exercise, and swelling can be caused by a variety of diseases. There is no simple test to detect this, and diagnosis relies on a doctor's examination, blood tests, and advanced imaging such as an ultrasound scan of the heart.

Cardiac gyrography is a non-invasive technique for measuring heart vibrations in the chest. Motion sensors built into smartphones can detect and record these vibrations, including those that doctors cannot hear with a stethoscope. This method was developed over the past 10 years by researchers at the University of Turku and his CardioSignal.

The researchers' latest study on using smartphone motion sensors to detect heart failure was conducted at Turku University Hospital and Helsinki University Hospital in Finland, and Stanford University Hospital in the United States. About 1,000 people participated in the study, about 200 of whom had heart failure. This study compared data obtained from motion sensors in patients with heart failure and those without heart disease.

“The results obtained with this new method are promising and may make it easier to detect heart failure in the future,” said one of the study's two lead authors, a professor of cardiovascular medicine. says medical professor Antti Saraste. Turku, Finland.

Detect heart failure with accurate detection

Researchers found that heart failure was associated with typical changes in motion sensor data collected by smartphones. Based on this data, researchers were able to identify the majority of heart failure patients.

Analysis of movement detected by gyroscopes and accelerometers is so accurate that in the future it could provide medical professionals with a quick and easy way to detect heart failure.

Primary care has very limited tools to detect heart failure. Entirely new treatment options can be created for remote monitoring of at-risk groups or post-hospital monitoring of already diagnosed patients. ”

Juuso Blomster, Cardiologist, Founding Member and CEO of CardioSignal

In Finland, as in several European countries, heart failure occurs in about 1-2% of the population, but is more common in older people, affecting about 1 in 10 people over 70. I am. Detecting heart failure is important because effective treatment can help detect it. Alleviate its symptoms. Accurate diagnosis and timely access to treatment can also reduce medical costs, which can increase due to emergency department visits and hospitalizations, especially during exacerbations.

The joint research project between CardioSignal and the University of Turku aims to promote human health and reduce healthcare costs through innovation, improved disease diagnosis, and prevention of serious complications.