New Study Advances Understanding of Asymptomatic and Episodic Arrhythmias

SAN DIEGO, March 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- iRhythm Technologies, Inc. announced today data presented during the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions, which identified a high burden of paroxysmal, or episodic, arrhythmias among elderly men and women. Paroxysmal and asymptomatic arrhythmias can lead to adverse outcomes such as stroke. The findings were derived from the application of the iRhythm ZIO® patch, which was prescribed for up to 2 weeks.

The study, "Arrhythmia Burden among Community Dwelling Elderly Using Two Weeks of Ambulatory ECG Recordings," analyzed the frequency and prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AFib), premature atrial complexes (PACs) and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) in a subset of the Atherosclerosis Risks In Communities (ARIC) Study, which is a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) supported cohort. Notable findings from the study include:

• Approximately 6 percent of participants experienced AFib. The majority of the participants with paroxysmal AFib didn't report a past diagnosis and were not taking anticoagulants.
• Nearly all participants had at least one PACs (97 percent) or one PVCs (95 percent).
• SVTs occurred in 85 percent of participants while nsVTs occurred in 27 percent of participants.

"This study shows that nearly 40 percent of elderly individuals in a community may be unaware that they have an arrhythmia like AFib. If left untreated, arrhythmias are known to increase the risk of stroke and other health complications by several folds, a risk that can be reduced with appropriate use of anticoagulation," said Dr. Sunil Agarwal, MD, MPH, PhD, who served as lead author while a fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and is currently a cardiology fellow at Mt. Sinai Hospital. "The data suggests that there is a need to understand the implication of sub-clinical arrhythmia detection during continuous cardiac monitoring among elderly patients to better manage their care and improve clinical outcomes."

The continuous monitoring provided by iRhythm's ZIO Service combines wearable biosensor devices with mobile and cloud-based technology to improve detection of arrhythmias that may be missed by routine ECGs done in the clinics. The ZIO Service represents a breakthrough in patient compliance and satisfaction. It has the ability to record and store all heartbeats for up to 14 days and provides diagnostic support services that deliver concise, comprehensive and actionable information to physicians.

"Each year, tens of millions of patients see physicians because they have symptoms that may or may not be caused by an irregular heartbeat, but cardiac arrhythmias can also be asymptomatic and may first manifest through adverse outcomes such as stroke even before a diagnosis is made," said Judy Lenane, RN, MHA, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of iRhythm Technologies, Inc. "Determining the burden and diagnosing cardiac arrhythmias in a community is critical to managing population health and preventing adverse outcomes like stroke from occurring." 

The ZIO Service is the first long-term continuous monitoring service that is FDA-cleared and supported by extensive clinical data with peer-reviewed publications. The ZIO Service has been clinically proven to enhance clinical decision making and potential lower healthcare costs.

About the ZIO Service
The ZIO Service, comprised of the ZIO Patch, proprietary algorithms and the ZIO Report, is proven in multiple, peer-reviewed published studies to produce a higher diagnostic yield and to change patient management, compared to traditional ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The ZIO Patch is a noninvasive, water-resistant monitor that is easy to use and discrete to wear, and is worn for up to 14 days, prompting high patient compliance and a higher diagnostic yield. Proprietary algorithms analyze the vast amounts of captured heart beat data and a concise report is provided to the patient's physician. Since its commercial launch in 2011, the ZIO Service has been used with more than 300,000 patients at nearly 800 institutions nationwide. The ZIO Service is covered for most Medicare patients and by leading private payers nationwide, representing more than 170 million covered lives.

About iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
iRhythm is a privately held digital healthcare company that is a world leader in cardiac arrhythmia information. The company is combining wearable biosensor devices with mobile and cloud-based technology to improve how heart arrhythmias are diagnosed and managed.  iRhythm's digital health technology and diagnostic support services provide clear, actionable information for physicians, and are clinically proven to enhance clinical decision making and lower healthcare costs. Its flagship solution, the ZIO Service, offers a proven approach to long-term continuous monitoring that enables diagnosis earlier in the clinical pathway to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. For more information, please visit www.irhythmtech.com.

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Amanda Breeding
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SOURCE iRhythm Technologies, Inc.

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