AliveCor Announces Availability of its Mobile ECG in Canada
New Offering for People at Risk for Stroke
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. June 18, 2015–AliveCor, Inc., the leader in FDA-cleared ECG technology for smartphones, announced today that the AliveCor Mobile ECG is now available for patients and physicians in Canada. With the AliveCor Mobile ECG and the AliveECG app users can instantly detect the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib), a leading cause of stroke, in an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and manage their heart health with an FDA-cleared and Health Canada Licensed electrocardiogram ECG monitor, anywhere and at anytime.
AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and increases the risk of stroke up to five times. Due to Canada’s aging population, AF is a growing problem. One-in-four Canadians over 40 years of age will suffer from AF in their lifetime (1). Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Canada and is a devastating condition, causing stress for both patients and their families and costing the healthcare system more than $2.5 billion annually (2). Additionally, the death rate of AF-related strokes is twice as high as from strokes unrelated to AF (3). The good news is that 3 out of 4 strokes can be prevented if detected and treated.
“We are excited to be able to provide credible healthcare solutions that stop the unnecessary loss of life driven by undiagnosed and under-managed heart arrhythmias, which are on the rise in Canada. The availability of mobile devices like the AliveCor Mobile ECG will be of great benefit to those affected, their families, and the healthcare system,” said Euan Thomson, chief executive officer of AliveCor. “Being able to understand what is going on inside heart disease through data analytics has the potential to change the way we think about and participate in our healthcare. AliveCor is excited about being on the forefront of consumerizing medicine and helping more people globally.”
AliveCor has seen tremendous growth throughout the past four years including expanded regulatory clearances, the launch of three algorithms, and recently surpassing 2.5 million ECGs recorded into the AliveCor database that are being used to develop powerful insights about heart health. Additionally, the company more than doubled the number of regular users and recordings in the last year and continues to expand globally entering nine new countries in 2015.
“We have seen the global impact of the AliveCor Mobile ECG for both patients, physicians and caregivers and are thrilled that it is now available in Canada, a vital community for us and our fight against heart arrhythmias,” said Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder & CEO of AF Association, Arrhythmia Alliance and STARS (Syncope Trust). “This is an effective and efficient tool to help monitor and manage arrhythmias and we look forward to their continued expansion.”
The AliveCor Mobile ECG is now available for MSRP $125.00 (CAD) on Amazon.ca.
The AliveCor Mobile ECG is intended to record, store and transfer single-channel ECG rhythms. The AliveCor Mobile ECG also displays ECG rhythms and detects the presence of atrial fibrillation and normal sinus rhythm. The AliveCor Mobile ECG is intended for use by healthcare professionals, patients with known or suspected heart conditions and health conscious individuals. The AliveCor Mobile ECG is compatible with all iOS and most Android OS mobile devices. With secure storage in the cloud, users have the ability to access their data confidentially anytime, anywhere.
(1) Lloyd-Jones DM, et al. Lifetime risk for development of atrial fibrillation: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2004;110:1042-6. And http://www.bmscanada.ca/en/news/release/one-in-four-canadians-over-40-will-suffer-from-atrial-fibrillation-in-their-life-time
(2) Canadian Stroke Network. Top 10 facts and figures on stroke. Accessed October 2012.
(3) Benjamin EJ, Wolf PA, D'Agostino RB, Silbershatz H, Kannel WB, Levy D. Impact of atrial fibrillation on the risk of death: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 1998 Sep 8; 98(10):946-52.