Community Corner

Florida Hospital Conducting Research Trial for Heart Patients

The research trial uses a device called AngelMed

Patients with existing heart issues are being recruited for a new research trial at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute in Tampa.

A small device called Angel Med, which is about the size of a pacemaker, warns heart patients by vibrating if any problems are sensed in the patient's heart.  The research trial is being conducted to help patients who have a history of problems like heart attacks in an effort to stop medical issues before they happen.

Charles R. Lambert, medical director and principal investigator of the research trial at the institute, said he was contacted by officials at AngelMed about a month ago to start the trial.

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"We were interested in this largely because it's so novel," said Lambert of the hospital's trial, which is one of the only of its kind in Tampa Bay.

Here's how the trial works:

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Patients with a history of heart problems have the AngelMed device implanted into their chests, which takes about half an hour and requires an overnight hospital stay.

The device analyzes heart signal data while inside the patient's heart, and vibrates when something is wrong. One mode of vibration alerts the patient to call their doctor. The other alerts the patient to call 911.

Information from the AngelMed device implanted in the patient's heart is collected by a small black box called an external device that resembles a pager, which doctors can use to see how the patient has been doing during their check-ups. The pager must be near the patient during the entirety of the trial.

Lambert said the need for AngelMed is crucial.

"Half of people who have heart attacks at home die," he said. "You could conceivably prevent deaths."

Only one patient has been part of the trial so far, but others are being asked to contact the hospital to participate in the trial.

"We're looking for patients who are high risk, or who've had stents in the past six months," said Abby Snow, a registered nurse with a Bachelor's of Science degree in nursing who works in the institute.

Patients must also meet one of three criteria: They must be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, have a "complicated heart disease profile" that includes chest pains or angina, for example, or have had renal disease, Snow said.

Hospital officials say they want the device to help heart patients resume normal lives.

"After people have a heart attack, they're afraid to go to the post office or walk to the mailbox to get their mail," said Janice M. Shirley, administrative director of research at the institute. "(With AngelMed) You can recognize symptoms before going to the E.R."

If you're interested in participating in the trial at the hospital, 3100 E. Fletcher Avenue, call 813-615-7527. For a listing of other trials at the hospital, click here.

Statistics on heart attacks from the American Heart Association:

  • About 785,000 Americans will have their first heart attack this year
  • Another 470,000 will have a recurrent attack
  • An additional 195,000 will suffer a silent first heart attack


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