New Wearable Defibrillator Records Heart Rhythm, Shocks Heart Out of Arrhythmia

Jacksonville, Florida, December 20, 2006 -- Physicians with Baptist Medical Center Downtown are now offering a wearable defibrillator called the LifeVest. The device, which monitors heart rhythm and can administer a life-saving shock during life-threatening arrhythmias, is used for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. While not replacing implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), which are placed surgically, LifeVest can be an option for patients waiting for a cardiomyopathy to resolve or as a bridge to later ICD placement. They are designed to be used in patients thought to be at increased risk of sudden cardiac death.

The LifeVest is equipped with an electrode belt and garment that surrounds the patient's chest and is not visible under most shirts. It also includes a monitor that the patient wears around the waist or from a shoulder strap. The patient's heart activity can be recorded, along with any detected arrhythmias.

In the event of an arrhythmia, the vest sets off a vibration alarm that a conscious patient can turn off with a response button. The vest next sets off a siren and then a louder siren if the patient does not override the alarm, primarily due to unconsciousness. The device also gives verbal warnings to bystanders that an electric shock is about to be administered to the patient and not to touch the individual.

To prevent skin burns, a blue gel is released immediately prior to a treatment shock to restore the patient's natural rhythm. If the arrhythmia continues after the first shock, up to four additional shocks may be delivered.

Cardiologist and electrophysiologist Robert A. Luke, MD, says it may soon become more common in medical practice. "Life Vest supplements the tools we already have for treating sudden cardiac arrest, while allowing us to protect patients for whom an ICD is not feasible or not warranted at that time," he says. "It gives patients who use the device some peace of mind."