 The
Intelliheart cardiovascular diagnostic system is a new approach to the early
detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that incorporates measures of blood
pressure, arterial stiffness, heart rate variability (electrical activity of
the heart) and cholesterol with family history and lifestyle data to quantify
an individual’s absolute risk of developing CVD. It is primarily aimed at a
‘well’ population, but evidence shows it may also be applicable to those with
established CVD as a tool to monitor disease and guide management.
Currently, the practice of diagnosing CVD involves the assessment of
individuals’ risk, and the determination of the presence of symptoms and signs
of established CVD diagnostic tools vary in complexity, from history-taking,
electrocardiograms and ultrasounds, to more invasive cardiac investigations
such as angiograms and nuclear medicine scans.
These tests have their limitations, are focused on cardiac events, and do not
detect diseases at potentially reversible stages. Despite the comprehensive
nature of these instruments, they fail to identify those individuals that have
a predisposition to early arterial stiffening.
The Intelliheart system addresses this problem as it aligns itself with the
philosophy of ‘prevention is better than cure’. It is anticipated the
Intelliheart CVD system will be used in a General Practice setting and for
Executive Health assessments.
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