EARLY HEART ATTACK DETECTION DEVICE

Dr. Sree Karanam of Heart Center Medical Group performs Indiana’s first AngelMed Guardian® system implant as part of new study.

Lutheran Hospital and Heart Center Medical Group’s Northern Indiana Research Alliance announced a local patient has become the first in the state to be implanted with an AngelMed Guardian cardiac monitor and alert system. The system is designed to reduce the time it takes patients to get to the emergency room during an impending heart attack. Cardiologist Sree Karanam, M.D., performed the procedure at Lutheran and is among the first four physicians in the United States to implant the experimental device through the ALERTS Pivotal Study.

The AngelMed Guardian system is designed to track significant changes in the heart’s electrical signal and then alert patients to seek medical attention. For certain patients, this warning may occur even before they experience typical heart attack symptoms. The objective of the ALERTS Pivotal Study is to provide an assessment of the safety and effectiveness of the AngelMed Guardian system. Although there are only seven centers across the country currently participating in the study, the number of locations is expected to grow to 50.

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“This study provides an excellent opportunity for some of our patients, including those who are at high-risk of having another heart attack,” said Dr. Karanam. “The device is designed to measure changes in the electrical signal of the heart and alert the patient at the earliest onset of a heart attack so that they can get treatment as soon as possible.”

According to the American Heart Association, one of every five deaths in the U.S. is attributable to coronary heart disease. Further, 50 percent of heart attack fatalities occur within one hour of symptom onset and before the patient even reaches the hospital.

The AngelMed Guardian system is comprised of an internal implantable device about the size of a standard pacemaker with a lead into the heart, an external telemetry device and a programmer that aids physicians in evaluating heart signals.

To participate in the ALERTS study, patients must meet various criteria. For more information on the AngelMed Guardian system or the ALERTS study protocol, contact the Northern Indiana Research Alliance at 260.434.6109.

Visit www.angel-med.com/product.html to see images of the AngelMed Guardian system and to learn more.

Northern Indiana Research Alliance, a vital component of the Heart Center Medical Group, is a team of healthcare professionals focused on patient personalization, prevention and wellness, and improving quality of life. Research helps provide patients with the best treatments available. The Heart Center Medical Group has participated in research since 1993. Since then, more than 50 clinical research trials have been conducted at this site. The Heart Center Medical Group research department has grown into the Northern Indiana Research Alliance, a complete in-house research department. NIRA has an active research committee consisting of multi-specialty physicians and medical staff dedicated to research.