Detection of Heart Rhythm and BP With RhythmPadBP
Condition: Atrial Fibrillation
MeSH terms: Atrial Fibrillation
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      This study will assess a new device, the RhythmPadBP, which detects heart rhythm and measure
      blood pressure simply by placing palms of the hands on a pad containing titanium electrodes.
    

Detailed description: 
      Normally the way a doctor will assess the rhythm of the heart involves asking for an
      electrocardiogram (ECG) which involves having to remove clothing, and sometimes shaving hair.
      10 different leads are attached to stickers that are placed on the chest, and other parts of
      the body. This is known as a 12-lead ECG and is the standard way that heart-rhythm problems
      are first investigated. The usual method of measuring blood pressure (BP) involves wrapping a
      cuff around the arm and inflating it to enough to measure the BP. The reading is then
      displayed on a monitor. This can sometimes be uncomfortable and is often time consuming,
      particularly in busy clinical settings.

      Recent advances in technology however have given us different ways of gaining some of the
      same information given by a 12 lead ECG and the standard BP apparatus, using much easier to
      use devices. One of these devices is the RhythmPadBP system by Cardiocity TM. This is a
      device where participants can record the underlying heart rhythm and BP readings simply by
      placing palms of both hands on the device. This device does not require removal of clothing
      or placing a BP cuff around arm and so the readings can be gained more rapidly and with
      greater convenience.

      Investigators propose to test this device to assess how accurately it recognises the most
      common cardiac rhythm disturbances, e.g. atrial fibrillation (AF), and also measures the
      blood pressure. This will help to identify AF and any difference of BP in both arms.

      AF is an independent risk factor for stroke and increases the risk of stroke by five-fold. A
      discrepancy of BP in both arms can be a sign of blood vessel disease and is linked to
      increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. If investigators find that this
      device is correctly recording AF and BP, it may give us another simpler way of diagnosing AF
      and BP discrepancies on both sides.
    

Intervention name(s): Device: RhythmPadBP
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): Detection of heart rhythm and measurement of blood pressure
Intervention:
Patients will start by wearing a consumer SmartWatch (Huwaei SmartWatch 2, which has a CE mark) and a 60 second reading of their wrist Photoplethysmyograph (PPG) will be recorded. This will enable us to compare the PPG from the wrist with the fingertip data collected from the RhythmPadBP.
The watch will be cleaned with alcohol wipe in the same manner that the RhythmPadBP is cleaned between subjects use.
Patients will be asked to place their palms of both hands on RhythmPadBP and then the underlying heart rhythm and BP will be recorded. 12-lead ECG and BP reading will be obtained by standard devices for comparison.
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Patients attending for routine 12-lead ECG, referred by the primary care physician and also
        patients attending cardiology department at Ashford & St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation
        Trust, Chertsey