Home » Heart attacks and strokes, a patch will be enough to measure the risk

Heart attacks and strokes, a patch will be enough to measure the risk

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IN THE FUTURE, a “simple” patch may be enough to monitor cardiovascular parameters (such as blood flow, pressure or heart function) during a check-up or even at home, thus identifying any early signs of risk of heart attack and stroke. To support it from the pages of Nature Biological Engineering is a team of engineers from the University of California – San Diego who have developed a prototype of a wearable device patch (i.e. a sort of patch) to be applied to the skin, at the level of the neck or chest, which emits ultrasounds that reach up to 14 centimeters in depth.

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An ultrasound patch

The completely non-invasive device consists of a thin sheet of a flexible and elastic polymer to be adhered to the skin. On it is positioned a matrix of transducers (2×2) of the size of a millimeter which, connected to a battery, are able to generate ultrasounds that reach deep into the body.

The waves pass through the tissues and, when they meet one of the main blood vessels, their return signal is changed by the blood flow: a change that is picked up by the patch and also visually recorded in the computer to which the device is connected.

The patch technology, said phased array, is innovative: the presence of the transducer grid amplifies its range of action, which is not limited to the area below the patch but can extend, also modifying the inclination of the ultrasounds.

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The advantages

Nowadays, tests such as blood flow assessment are typically done if a patient already shows signs of cardiovascular problems or if the risk of events such as heart attacks and strokes is already considered high. In addition, specialized technicians are needed, whose skills can be a variable in the outcome of the tests.

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For US engineers, the use of the ultrasound patch in clinical practice could bring several advantages. Simple to use even without specific skills, it could in the future also be implemented during check-ups, even if the patient does not already show signs of cardiovascular problems, or in continuous monitoring at home.

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Although the first tests have given good results and the accuracy of the device is comparable to that of the probes currently in use, the patch is not yet ready to be introduced into clinical practice. Researchers are still working on the technology and electronics to make it wireless.

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