Home > Research Projects > Heart > Randomised Control Trial of a Smart Phone based Event Recorder for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Palpitations and Pre-Syncope

Randomised Control Trial of a Smart Phone based Event Recorder for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Palpitations and Pre-Syncope

Type: Heart

Grant holder: Dr. Matt Reed, et al., Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Amount Awarded: £23,056 over 21 months

Year: 2015 - Finished

Palpitations (noticeable pounding, fluttering or irregular heart beat) and pre-syncope (near blackout) are common Emergency Department problems sometimes due to abnormal cardiac rhythm. This is difficult to diagnose as examination and ECG are commonly normal and symptoms have usually resolved by the time the patient arrives in the ED. Diagnosing and abnormal heart rhythm as the cause of symptoms rests on capturing it on an ECG and patients are usually discharged with advice to return to the ED again for a 12-lead ECG should symptoms recur. We believe a smart phone based event recorder will allow better and earlier diagnosis and revolutionise ED care in this area.