Omron's India arm, AliveCor to market AI-based portable ECG in India

Omron Healthcare India announced its collaboration with AliveCor India on Wednesday to market AI-based handheld electrocardiography (ECG) technology and atrial fibrillation (Afib) monitoring devices in India.

Through this collaboration, Omron, a leading player in manufacturing medical devices for monitoring hypertension, will expand into cardiovascular health.

“As time has advanced, Omron has come to realise the necessity of expanding its scope beyond hypertension. With a deeper dive into cardiovascular health, the company has unearthed the crucial role of Afib as a significant contributor to stroke and cardiovascular disease risk,” the company said in its official statement.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Omron’s ‘Going for Zero’ vision to enhance cardiovascular health awareness and prevent incidents,” the company added.

The partnership will introduce devices such as the first home blood pressure monitor (BPM) with ECG capability (BPM + ECG monitoring device) for early detection and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and AliveCor's pocket-sized personal ECG machines.

“These devices will help in instantly detecting various arrhythmias, including Afib, bradycardia, tachycardia, and more,” the company noted.

Afib disrupts the normal heartbeat and causes small, irregular vibrations in the heart, leading to blood pooling inside. This can create a clot that can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

While stroke risk is 3.4 times higher with hypertension, it becomes nearly five times higher with Afib, which means that people who frequently experience Afib could face a stroke shortly.

Elaborating on the collaboration, Tetsuya Yamada, managing director of Omron Healthcare India, said that with these new devices, Indians can reduce the waiting period for ECG measurement, increase accessibility, and help patients keep their doctors and caregivers informed conveniently and in real time. This will enable better decision-making for cardiovascular health management.