Scientists from the University of Liverpool were able to detect atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation) in supermarket customers by placing ECG sensors on the arms of grocery carts. The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Scientific Congress ACNAP 2023.
The SHOPS-AF study investigated whether placing ECG sensors in supermarket cart handles could effectively identify shoppers with atrial fibrillation. Participants were asked to drive a modified car and hold one arm for at least 60 seconds.
If the sensor has not detected an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), it will turn green. If an irregular heartbeat is detected, the sensor will turn red. The pharmacist at the store then did manual pulse control and EKG using a separate device.
A total of 2,155 adults used the shopping cart. For 220 participants, the sensor turned red. The scientists identified 74 patients with atrial fibrillation, of whom only 20 knew they had the disease.
The study found that supermarket carts could be used to better diagnose atrial fibrillation in humans. This disease affects 40 million people worldwide. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke fivefold. These hits often lead to death or disability. Anticoagulant medications greatly reduce the risk, but many people discover they have atrial fibrillation after having a stroke. Therefore, screening programs that detect the disease are needed so that people with the disease can take preventive medications as early as possible.
ancient scientists to solvethat women with atrial fibrillation are three times more likely to develop dementia than healthy women.