Assert-IQ™ is an innovative insertable cardiac monitoring (ICM) system developed by Abbott, a US-based medical devices and healthcare company.
Assert-IQ system is indicated for monitoring and diagnosing patients who undergo unexplained symptoms associated with cardiac conditions such as dizziness, palpitations, chest pain, syncope, and shortness of breath, as well as patients who are susceptible to developing cardiac arrhythmias that include bradycardia, tachycardia, and sinus pauses. It is also indicated for patients previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF).
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared Assert-IQ for use in humans in May 2023.
The Bluetooth-enabled ICM is a connected health device providing physicians with long-term monitoring and remote programming capability with enhanced connectivity for remote management and treatment of patients experiencing irregular heartbeats. It sets a new standard for continuous monitoring and automatic arrhythmia detection, allowing physicians in making more accurate and informed treatment decisions.
Assert IQ ICM design and details
Abbott’s Assert-IQ system is a slim, intelligent and fast ICM that is inserted subcutaneously in the left anterior chest wall, also known as the pectoral region, of patients for monitoring and diagnostic evaluation. It checks the heartbeat every 20 seconds automatically.
The system captures and encrypts data and wirelessly transmits it to the myMerlin™ Mobile App and Merlin.net™ Patient Care Network (PCN) portal for the patients at rest or in transit
The system is available in three models, DM5000 and DM5300 with a battery life of three years each and DM5500 with six years of battery life.
The three-year option is designed for traditional monitoring such as detecting fainting, heart palpitations, or irregular heartbeats. Six-year battery life empowers physicians for long-term monitoring indicated for people undergoing therapy, who have recently undergone cardiac ablation procedures, or who are at risk of developing further stages of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.
Both options include advanced algorithms to diagnose abnormal heart rhythms and provide clinical data that can help physicians to manage and treat their patients remotely.
Assert IQ ICM features
The system features Key Episode technology, which allows clinicians to investigate all episodes, or three key episodes depending on the requirement of the patient or clinic. Remote programming facilitates physicians to adjust the settings of the connected device and optimise performance remotely.
The system features supplementary sensors that capture several diagnostics, including leading premature ventricular contraction (PVC) detection algorithm and Body Position & Posture. It provides clinicians with relevant information on the patient’s cardiac health.
The PVC detection algorithm offers the ability to capture consecutive events including couplets and triplets. As the PVC count varies every 24 hours, monitoring for a longer period has been shown to double the identification of patients with a PVC burden of less than 10%. The Body Position & Posture at episode onset helps physicians in assessing other factors of the patient while examining episodes.
Intelligent patient insight reports also include diagnostics such as elevated heart rate with and without activity, body position, and direct trend viewer.
The device’s clear and crisp EGMs provide improved visualisation of P-waves, which can help care providers make faster decisions. Apart from continuously monitoring irregular cardiac rhythms of the patients, the device also streamlines data management and workflow of the physician’s practice.
Real-time heart monitoring technologies
Powered by state-of-the-art Bluetooth-enabled technology, the Assert-IQ ICM transmits real-time clinical data to the portal.
Advanced algorithms of the system reduce false detections by 98.7% for AF and Pause events while preserving 97.7% of true events.
With advanced algorithms, Assert-IQ ICM can detect even hard-to-spot abnormalities and help physicians make more informed decisions. The device’s five-step AF algorithm reduces the data burden by 21% compared to competitor devices, without compromising sensitivity.
The myMerlin Mobile App includes built-in activator functionality, enabling patients to confidentially capture and transmit EGMs while experiencing symptoms. The app’s notifications keep patients updated on daily device checks and scheduled transmissions to promote remote monitoring adherence without burdening the clinic. The myMerlin Mobile App comes with more than 35 languages to engage patients and provide a personalised experience.
The app is also connected to the Assert-IQ ICM by Bluetooth after the device is inserted into the patient’s chest. The downloaded app on the patient’s smartphone is explicitly designed to transmit the heartbeat information to the clinical portal enabling the doctor to notice any inconsistencies in the patient’s cardiac health.
