A device created by scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) will help to study the electrical activity of the heart and the state of its tissues with unprecedented accuracy, the press service of the university reported.
According to the authors, the device is suitable for home use device and has no alternatives in the world. It will make it easy to detect early stages of pathologies of the heart muscle which lead, for example, to sudden fatal heart attacks. The research findings are published in the Measurement academic journal.
According to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the world and mortality caused by them is constantly increasing.
One of the most dangerous cases of heart disease is the phenomenon of so-called sudden cardiac death (SCD). Such deaths occur in a matter of minutes with almost no prior symptoms. Most often, SCD is a consequence of myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
The heart constantly generates electrical signals that cause contraction of the myocardium, the heart muscle. The shape and duration of these impulses, as the scientists explained, can be used to assess the state of the heart. However, the method of electrocardiography (ECG) used today records only critical changes, making it impossible to predict potential threats.
According to the TPU researches, a new development will make it possible to take more accurate measurement of the electrical activity of the heart for the prevention of SCD. The system created by the scientists detects early pathological changes in the cells of the myocardium, which can be identified only through complex surgical intervention.
The device records the energy of electrical signals emitted by individual cells in the nanovolt and microvolt range. The principle of operation resembles the ECG, but according to the creators, they have managed to achieve a significant increase in sensitivity due to special nanosensors and specially-created software.
The scientists explained that standard electrocardiographs operate at frequencies from 0.05 to 150 Hz, while the newer one operates from 0 to 10,000 Hz. Special detectors are fixed on the chest, and a standard conductive gel is used to take readings. The monitoring procedure takes about 20 minutes.
According to the scientists, the developed method can be applied not only in cardiology but in any electro-physiological research, such as electroencephalography, electromyography and others.
The project is being implemented with the support of the technology platform “Medicine of the Future” and the Federal Target Programme. The development of the system was carried out in partnership with experts* from the Cardiology Research Institute of the Tomsk National Research Medical Centre.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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