Remote Monitoring For Cardiac Patients: Interview With Dr. Waqaas Al-Siddiq, CEO Of Biotricity

Biotricity, a medtech company based in California, developed the Bioflux system, a mobile cardiac telemetry device. The system is a three channel ECG monitor, and it enables continuous data collection and data transmission to a call center in the case of anomaly detection. If the detected issue is considered to be serious, a clinician can contact the patient to check up and make a call about whether to intervene.

Remote cardiac monitoring has made it easier to spot intermittent issues such as arrhythmias, and it allows clinicians to build up a long term picture of someone’s cardiac health as they go about their daily lives. The Bioflux system involves patients wearing a holter and three leads, and allows them to move and perform daily activities without too much hassle. The device has an integrated cellular modem for data transmission and features a 30 day wear duration. The company recently announced the launch of Biotres, a three lead device for ECG and arrhythmia monitoring that is intended for lower risk patients. The device focuses on comfort for long-term wear.

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Medgadget had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Waqaas Al-Siddiq, Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Biotricity abut this technology.

Conn Hastings, Medgadget: Please give us an overview of cardiac disease, and the burden it poses for society and patients.

Waqaas Al-Siddiq, Biotricity: Cardiac disease is the number one killer in almost every country in the world for both men and women. Beyond the impact on lives, it also has the largest impact on healthcare costs, in almost every country. Cardiac disease is an ongoing issue, requiring persistent intervention and management. Incorrect management of a cardiac condition can also lead to problems that develop into other conditions, causing individuals to have more than one chronic condition. As such, timely intervention and management of cardiac issues can improve patient lives while also reducing costs.

Medgadget: What role does remote monitoring play in cardiac treatment?

Waqaas Al-Siddiq: Cardiac issues are notoriously difficult to diagnose due to their intermittent nature. Arrhythmias in particular are difficult as they are mostly intermittent and asymptomatic. Did you know that 1 in 18 Americans suffer from cardiac arrhythmia? As such, long term monitoring is required to pick up these issues for further diagnoses. Monitoring is used to collect long term data that are then analyzed to determine the patient’s condition. After which, a treatment decision is made. But this all begins with monitoring. Monitoring is also used post procedure and post diagnostics to manage the patient, determine if the intervention was successful, and if needed, make adjustments to medications or treatment approaches. As such, monitoring is used in the beginning for diagnosis but also on a continuous basis to support the direction of treatment.

Medgadget: Please give us an overview of the Bioflux device and its features.

Waqaas Al-Siddiq: The Bioflux is primarily used for initial diagnosis and for ongoing check-ins to determine if the patient is stable or if changes are needed. The device is a 3 channel ECG monitor that is worn by the patient underneath their clothes for a prescribed period of time. The device continuously collects the patient’s ECG and analyzes it for anomalies. If an anomaly is detected, the data are transmitted in real-time to a call center for review. If an anomaly is within a range that a physician deems urgent, they will recall the patient or intervene.

Medgadget: Is the device easy to use? How have patients found it?

Waqaas Al-Siddiq: The Bioflux device is pretty simple to use. The patient wears it continuously and pushes a button if they feel a symptom or issues. Outside of that the data are continuously collected and the patient just has to charge the device once a day. Patients have found the device easy to use but there is some discomfort in wearing it. As this is a medical device and it needs the most accurate data, it uses three different contact points on the chest to collect data, which requires sticky electrodes and a wire. Overall, patients don’t mind as this is about their care and collecting enough data. Most importantly, the device can transmit in real-time so if there is an issue detected, the data can be reviewed remotely.

Medgadget: Please give us an overview of how clinicians receive and analyze the data provided by the Bioflux device.

Waqaas Al-Siddiq: Physicians and their staff receive the data in our portal. Data are provided in two ways, a final summary and ongoing data based on device detection. These data are then reviewed by the physician’s nursing staff to determine if enough data are there, if there is an issue that needs to be addressed, or if something needs to be escalated to the physician. A data review is performed on a daily basis by the physicians staff for ongoing data and summary data is reviewed at the completion of the study time (duration the device was prescribed for).

Medgadget: Please give us an overview of Biotres, a 3-lead patch device for ECG and arrhythmia monitoring, that Biotricity is planning to introduce later this year.

Waqaas Al-Siddiq: This Biotres device is a simplified version of our Bioflux device. It is designed to just continuously record the patient’s data as opposed to recording and analyzing followed by transmission in case of anomaly detection. The Biotres device is a compact version that is designed for comfort and long-term wear for lower risk patients. In this case, physicians do not expect patients to have an anomaly that would require intervention so they can use a simpler, more compact device that optimizes usability. As such the Biotres device records data continuously and uploads at the completion of the prescribed monitoring time. Comparatively, Bioflux records data continuously while simultaneously analyzing it for anomalies, at which point it will transmit the data in real-time.

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