Sussex woman hails small patch which diagnoses heart conditions as 'life-changing'

  • ITV Meridian's Sally Simmonds reports from West Sussex

A woman from West Sussex who was part of a pilot study to test a new type of heart monitor says it's allowed her to now live life to the full.

Pamela Evans from West Sussex says her patch allowed doctors to diagnose and treat her condition.

The new heart monitor is proving to be a game changer - after a pilot study was carried out at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

The small patch can now be fitted to patients to collect up to a fortnight's data. Until now the devices were bulky and limited to 3 days.

Early diagnosis reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Speaking to ITV Meridian, Pamela said: "I had the monitor put on, the new one, which was lovely, very comfortable.

"I could have a shower, hair wash, whatever."

Pamela Evans is now able to exercise most days thanks to the new patch fitted at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester. Credit: ITV Meridian

Pamela's episodes of irregular heart rhythm were infrequent and unpredictable. "You could be on holiday anywhere like that, and then you'd get these awful, awful times of the irregular heartbeat," she added.

"But since I've had the new monitor, which is fantastic, and it doesn't take only a few minutes to fit, I can do anything.

"And I haven't had one bad episode since."

In a pilot study at St Richard's in Chichester patients have been fitted with a single patch, and their heart rate monitored for a fortnight.

Almost everyone preferred the patch, finding the traditional monitor bulky, and difficult to manage during exercise or in the shower.

  • Dr Mark Tanner, Consultant Cardiologist at St Richard's Hospital

Consultant Cardiologist at St Richard's Hospital, Dr Mark Tanner said: "We need to prolong the period of recording so if you only have symptoms once a week and we can only put on the traditional monitor for three days then chances are we won't make a diagnosis.

"So there's a clear need to extend the time period that we can record the heart rhythm so that's where these new patches come in."

The 14 days worth of data means doctors have a much greater chance of making a diagnosis and offering treatment.

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