New Medical Research Gives Peace of Mind to Cardiac Patients

Aug. 14, 2012 - PRLog -- New Brunswick, NJ,   The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ Cardiovascular Institute announced its participation in the ALERTS Pivotal US trial for the AngelMed Guardian implantable cardiac monitor and alert system.

The AngelMed Guardian system is designed to track significant changes in the heart's electrical signal and then alert patients to seek immediate medical attention. This should reduce the time it takes patients to get to the emergency room. The objective of the ALERTS Pivotal Study is to provide an assessment of the safety and effectiveness of the AngelMed Guardian System.

“If the Guardian system proves to be effective in early detection and warning of
potentially life-threatening heart conditions, we may be able to shift the paradigm
for early treatment at the onset of heart attacks,” said Dr.Tudor Vagaonescu,
Principal Investigator of the ALERTS Study at UMDNJ. “We are excited to
participate in this important clinical trial. “

According to the latest American Heart Association statistics, one out of every
six deaths in the US was attributable to coronary heart disease. Each year, an
estimated 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack, and 470,000 will
have a recurrent attack. Approximately every 34 seconds, an American will have a
heart attack. It is also estimated that an additional 195,000 silent first myocardial
infarctions occur each year.

The AngelMed Guardian System is comprised of the following patient components:
an internal implantable device, a standard pacemaker lead, and an external telemetry
device.  There is also a programmer that is used to wirelessly program and retrieve data
stored in the implantable device.

"When someone has a heart attack, it is typically the result of a blood clot closing one of the three major coronary arteries. When this happens, there is a shift in
the ST segment of the heart signal caused by the electrical difference between the portion of the heart muscle fed by the closed artery and the rest of the heart that is still receiving oxygen," adds AngelMed's CEO, David Fischell, Ph.D. "The ALERTS trial is designed to test the Guardian's ability to detect this electrical shift in a clinical setting and then provide an early warning to patients that could potentially save their lives."

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ Cardiovascular Institute is among
the first medical facilities to participate in the AngelMed Guardian system trial.
To participate in the ALERTS study, patients must meet various inclusion criteria.
For more information on the AngelMed Guardian system or the ALERTS study
protocol, contact Erin Squindo, Research Coordinator at 732-235-6546 or
squinder@umdnj.edu