Improved detection of atrial fibrillation could prevent disabling strokes

(University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry) A clinical trial examining the efficacy of two devices to monitor and detect atrial fibrillation (AF), or an irregular heartbeat, in ischemic stroke patients -- one an implantable device that monitors over 12 months, the other an external device that monitors over a 30-day period -- found the implantable device is more than three times more effective in detecting AF, and both are a significant improvement over the current standard of care i...