Medtronic landed FDA clearance for its LINQ II insertable cardiac monitor that’s indicated for the detection and classification of cardiac arrhythmias and remote monitoring of patients. The LINQ II features remote programming capabilities, allowing cardiologists to tune the implant settings without the patient having to come into the office. Thanks to secure connectivity, the cardiologist can use an online dashboard to make changes that previously required in-person visits. This must be of particular benefit these days during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The long-lasting battery of the LINQ II allows it to operate for about 4.5 years while continuously monitoring cardiac rhythms for any abnormal events and reporting those back to the cardiologist. Patients have the option to use their own smartphone as the hub through which the implant sends its data up to the dashboard, or to simply have a small dedicated at-home hub that can do the same on its own. Medtronic touts that its insertable monitor has some of the most accurate detection capabilities and a unique Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC) detector that helps to spot abnormal heart rhythms arising from the ventricles. Source
