Do-it-yourself ECG good for patients with palpitations

Current approach to care does not serve patients with pre-syncope or palpitations well, researchers say
Clare Pain
AliveCor monitor with person touching it with 2 fingers from each hand and smartphone showing ECG

A pocket-sized monitor that takes an ECG can help detect cardiac arrhythmia in patients with palpitations and pre-syncope who get sent home from the ED without a diagnosis, a study shows.

Such patients were 10 times more likely to have a serious condition detected if they had the device that wirelessly connects to an app on their smartphone to record heart rhythm events, according to British researchers.