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Newsletter Post: Visia AF Hospital PR Toolkit
TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AT [HOSPITAL NAME] TREATS DANGEROUS HEART RHYTHMS, HELPS
IDENTIFY PATIENTS WITH AFIB
For patients at risk for a serious cardiac arrhythmia or sudden cardiac arrest, an implantable
cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may be prescribed to continuously monitor the heart rate and
deliver an electrical signal to correct a life-threatening heart rhythm. A single-chamber ICD
treats irregular rhythms in the heart’s lower chambers (the ventricles). However,
approximately 20 percent of patients with single-chamber ICDs may develop atrial fibrillation
(AF or afib), a condition that involves an irregular quivering or rapid heart rhythm in the upper
chambers (atria) of the heart, in the first two years after their device implant. 1
Many patients with AF do not experience symptoms, so the condition frequently goes
undetected. When left untreated, patients with AF are five times more likely to have a stroke 2
and three times more likely to develop heart failure.3 Until now, the ability to detect and
monitor for new onset, asymptomatic and previously undiagnosed AF has not been possible with
traditional single-chamber ICDs.
As a leader in cardiac care, [Hospital name is /we are] now offering the Visia AF MRI™ SureScan® and
Visia AF™ implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), single-chamber ICDs that can treat lifethreatening arrhythmias in the lower chambers of the heart, while also detecting previously
undiagnosed and/or asymptomatic AF. And patients who receive a Visia AF MRI defibrillator are able to
undergo full-body MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans. MRI is often used to diagnose conditions
such as stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, muscle, bone and back pain.
[SUGGESTED QUOTE] “Providing patients with the latest advancements in cardiac care is our first
priority, and this new offering is an extension of this deep-rooted commitment,” said [hospital
spokesperson]. “We’re grateful to have this new technology that can treat irregular heart rhythms and
help detect AF earlier, allowing us to better manage patients’ risk for stroke and heart failure.”
For more information about these new ICDs, speak to your physician or visit us here [insert hospital
website].
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1
Medtronic data on file.
Wolff PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke the Framingham Study. Stroke.
1991; 22 (8): 983-988.
3
Stewart S, Hart CL, Hole DJ, et al. A population-based study of the long-term risks associated with atrial fibrillation: 20-year
follow-up of the Renfrew/ Paisley Study. Am J Med. October 1, 2002; 113(5):359-364.
2