New Technology

• The wireless defibrillator is equipped with an antenna that can transmit and receive information within 10 to 15 meters of a radiofrequency receptor. Older generation devices must be within a few inches of a receptor.
• An external base in the patient’s home automatically communicates with the device and sends vital information via telephone lines to a secure server that is easily accessible to the physician.
• The radio frequency is isolated solely for medical devices and protected by the FCC to prevent any potential interference with other sources.
• The antenna’s activities do not shorten the device’s battery life. The new defibrillators last five or six years, like older models.

Benefits

• A patient’s heart can be monitored all the time without having to see a physician. That will reduce mortality, prevent hospitalization and save patients and hospitals a lot of money.
• The implant procedure requires a less complicated operating field than that associated with traditional defibrillators. This lessens the risk of infection.
• A physician will be able to interrogate the device in real time via the Internet. This capability is expected to receive FDA approval as soon as physicians have more experience with the technology and more safety data is available.
• Reams of data gathered by the device can be downloaded routinely. This is expected to enable physicians to diagnose and treat a heart failure episode before patients become symptomatic.