New inserted device identifies difficult to detect arrhythmias, including irregular heartbeats.

Abbott has announced it has received clearance from the FDA for its innovative Confirm Rx™ Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), the is the first smartphone compatible monitor, designed to help physicians remotely identify cardiac arrhythmias.

Since receiving clearance from the FDA, Abbott can now provide patients in the US with a new, convenient way to monitor abnormal heart rhythms and stay connected with their physicians who can monitor symptoms remotely. An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that can develop from disease, heredity or accident that either accelerates or slows the heartbeat and result in fainting, dizziness and shortness of breath.

The company’s insertable monitoring system is implanted during an outpatient procedure described as minimally invasive under skin in the chest. The device continuously monitors heart rhythms to detect a range of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeats, Abbott has released.

Avi Fischer, Division Vice President and Medical Director of Abbott's Cardiac Rhythm Management business explained, "Confirm Rx shows what we can do with cutting edge communication technology and the most advanced medical devices that provide new opportunities to improve patient care.” By offering a device that uses Bluetooth® wireless technology, said Abbott, and use it to connect to people’s smartphones, “We can help physicians easily and remotely diagnose potentially dangerous abnormal heart beats without requiring the patient to use a separate or cumbersome recording device,” Fischer added.

The device collects data in real time and then securely transmits it to the patient’s physician according to scheduled times, via Abbott’s app.