Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is First in Mid-Atlantic to use Miniature Cardiac Monitor, Reveal LINQ™ ICM

FALLS CHURCH, VA (July 23, 2014) – Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is one of the first facilities in the Washington, DC metro area to utilize the Medtronic Reveal LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitoring System (ICM).

Abnormal heart rhythms — or arrhythmias — and accompanying cardiac symptoms are often transient and can be hard to detect. Tests such as electrocardiograms only allow doctors to look at the heart’s activity at one point in time and external cardiac monitors are bulky and inconvenient, and can lead to unfulfilling and incomplete results, leading cardiac arrhythmias to often go undiagnosed.

The Reveal LINQ ICM is one-third the size of a AAA battery but can hold up to 20 percent more data memory than other ICMs. This small, wireless device continuously monitors the heart to speed up the physician’s diagnosis and allot an accurate treatment plan.

“This device enables physicians to diagnose arrhythmias accurately in patients more efficiently,” says Leonard Ilkhanoff, MD, MS, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist practicing at Inova Fairfax Hospital.  “The significant benefits are the device’s size, continuous monitoring for up to three years, and especially the ease of implantation. Patients can feel comfortable that the device is watching for unusual heart rhythms that have led or may lead to possible problems for them.”

The system provides remote monitoring through the Carelink® Network. This network allows physicians to request notifications and be alerted if the patient has a significant arrhythmia event. The information is then transported to the physician in an easy-to-read, condensed format.

The Reveal LINQ ICM is placed just beneath the skin on the upper left side of the chest. The tiny device is injected through a simple insertion procedure taking minutes to perform. Once it is inserted, it is not noticeable beneath the skin. The Reveal LINQ ICM is magnetic resonance (MR)-Conditional, so patients can undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if needed.

“Inova Heart and Vascular institute is honored to have the first and largest program in the Washington metropolitan area,” says Dr. Ilkhanoff. “Through our success, we strive to continue to utilize minimally invasive, less costly and more effective devices to help diagnose and effectively treat patients in our community.”

About Cardiac Arrhythmias

Heart rhythm disorders (also called arrhythmias) occur when there is a malfunction in the heart’s electrical impulses that coordinate how it beats, causing the heart to beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly. Some abnormal heart rhythms may not be serious or life threatening, and others – such as when a patient experiences recurrent fainting, palpitations, unexplained stroke or atrial fibrillation – can be more serious and potentially life threatening.
Visit us at www.inovaheart.org to learn about Inova Heart & Vascular Institute’s world-class facilities in Northern Virginia, serving the greater Washington, DC metro area, the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.