Palpitations (noticeable pounding, fluttering or irregular heart beat) and pre-syncope (near blackout) are common Emergency Department problems sometimes due to an abnormal cardiac rhythm.

This is difficult to diagnose as clinical examination and ECG are commonly normal and symptoms have usually resolved by the time the patient arrives in the Emergency Department. Diagnosing an 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.

The IPED study will randomise 242 consecutive patients aged 16 years or over presenting with an episode of palpitations or pre-syncope in the preceding 24 hours and whose underlying ECG rhythm during these episodes remains undiagnosed after ED assessment, to either use of a smart phone based event recorder (the AliveCor Heart Monitor and AliveECG app) or standard care.

Patients will be followed-up at 90 days. The IPED study aims to discover whether a smart phone based event recorder may allow better and earlier diagnosis of these patients, and revolutionise ED care in this area.

The IPED Study Multi-centre Sites:

Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Musgrove Park Hospital

Royal London Hospital

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Whipps Cross Hospital

Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Leicester Royal Infirmary

Derriford Hospital (Plymouth)

In the Press:

Press Reader. 17/05/2018. ‘Heart Trial Helps De-stress Josephine’ Available at: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-wokingham-paper/20180517/281857234187133

NIHR. 17/05/2018. ‘Berkshire woman staying healthy since taking part in heart monitor research trial’ Available at: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/berkshire-woman-staying-healthy-since-taking-part-in-heart-monitor-research-trial/8478

The Reading Chronicle. 16/05/2018. ‘Registrar praises innovative app which helps monitor heart rate’ Available at: http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/16229340.Registrar_praises_innovative_app_which_helps_monitor_heartrate/

The MediWales LifeStories talk about the EMERGE Research IPED study and how to set up an Ambulatory smartphone palpitation clinic using the AliveCor device is now available at youtu.be/HWqPZqydJCI

Resources:

Click here to find out more about the Smartphone Palpitation Service