"The launch of CareLink is a major milestone in the management of heart conditions, and represents an important advance in the ongoing care of patients with implantable devices," said Dr. John Morgan, professor of cardiology, Southampton University, Southampton, UK. "Patients living with ICDs have reported that frequent clinician visits have a negative impact on their ability to hold down a job, go on holiday, and even spend time with their family. The facilitation of a remote service will free up vital time to improve the patient's quality of life, and provide more choice and flexibility for patients. It will also offer the peace of mind that comes from knowing that expert care is only a phone call away."
The Medtronic CareLink Network is also of benefit to physicians. By enabling routine device follow-ups remotely, doctors can quickly and thoroughly review the status of a patient's heart condition, and schedule follow-up appointments only when necessary. This creates vital extra time to counsel patients with more critical conditions, ensuring medical efficiency and better overall patient management. The Medtronic CareLink Network may also provide reduced emergency department and unscheduled clinic visits. Further, the Medtronic CareLink Network is the first and only system to allow remote monitoring and alerting of fluid buildup in the thoracic cavity, via the proprietary Medtronic OptiVol® Fluid Status Monitoring feature available on select ICDs, potentially preventing heart failure hospitalizations.
"This innovative technology allows us to extend the reach of cardiovascular patient care beyond the clinic walls, and opens up a new way for physicians to treat patients, with the potential for more efficient chronic disease management and better patient outcomes," said Peter Steinmann, vice president Western Europe for the Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management business at Medtronic. "In addition, the Medtronic CareLink Network is a tremendous convenience for patients and clinicians, and allows patients more security and peace of mind about their devices. The launch of the Medtronic CareLink Network is a truly groundbreaking combination of medicine and technology."
EUROPACE Congress of the European Society of Cardiology took place June 24-27, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.
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