Practical Device for In-Office Measurement of Heart Rate Variability
Eduardo de Marchena and Suresh Atapattu
Problem
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a useful tool in assessing a patient's cardiac health and susceptibility of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). However, HRV as a cardiac diagnostic tool is not ubiquitously used due to the need for a patient to wear a cumbersome holter monitor and/or the need for computational data processing resources that are too great for a simple handheld device.
Solution
The inventors have developed a portable Heart Rate Variability (HRV) device, and current efforts of the research team are focused on miniaturizing the device to make it suitable for routine use in hospitals and physician's offices. This device should prove extremely useful in predicting a patient's susceptibility to SCD.
Competitive Advantage
There is no currently available HRV diagnostic tool that provides a quick response (minutes as opposed to hours) and it also employs novel analysis to help risk stratify cardiology patients.
Applications
In addition assessing a patient's risk of SCD, HRV has also shown to be useful in: (1) diagnosis/treatment of diabetic neuropathy; (2) diagnosis/treatment of sleep apnea; and (3) diagnosis/treatment of depression and effects of psycho-social stress
Patent Status
An International patent application was filed on September 25, 2009.
Licensing Opportunity
Available for exclusive-license and/or collaborative co-development agreement.
About the Inventors
Dr. Eduardo de Marchena is an internationally recognized cardiologist and a professor of medicine and surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He was named Associate Dean for International Medicine Institute in March 2008 and has served as the Director of Interventional Cardiology, Medical Director of the Medical Director UHealth Atherosclerosis Prevention and Treatment Center, and is currently the Chairman of the University of Miami Medical Group. During his tenure at the University, Dr. Eduardo de Marchena has spearheaded key programs for the Heart Transplantation and Interventional Cardiology unit, has served as Chief of the Division of Cardiology and was appointed Interim Chairman of the Department of Medicine.
In addition to his clinical, academic and leadership roles, his research in interventional cardiology, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and congestive heart failure has been widely published with over 200 publications and abstracts in journals including; New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Journal, Progress in Cardiology, and Journal of Vascular Surgery. He is the co-editor of the "Secrets in Interventional Cardiology" textbook.
As a researcher, his work has resulted in several patents and patent applications in percutaneous cardiovascular devices. His commitment to education is evident in the numerous medical education presentations, symposia and conference in all areas of Cardiology throughout the United States and Latin America.
Suresh Atapattu, M.S. is a biomedical engineer and Research Director at the Biomedical Signals and Sensor Laboratory at the UM International Medicine Institute. His 2001 Masters thesis was on HRV. HaRVAAD : a heart rate variability acquisition, analysis and database program for clinical research . He received a 2001 Young Investigator Award from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation for his HRV thesis work.
Selected References
1. Atapattu SA, Biaone W, Myerburg RJ. Heart rate variability in a cardiology division. 2005-Miami Revascularization Summit, February 25-27, 2005. Miami, FL.
2. Atapattu SA, Myerburg RJ, Mitrani RD. Short term heart rate variability (HRV) as a predictor of sustained and non-sustained VT during implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) programming. 2005 Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society, May 4-7, 2005, New Orleans, LA.
