AliveCor and Omron create first combined ECG/blood pressure app

Market leader in mobile electrocardiogram devices AliveCor will partner with Omron Healthcare to help patients take control of their heart health.

The deal will see data from Omron’s blood pressure devices integrated into AliveCor’s ECG Kardia mobile app, resulting in the first consumer-ready, clinically validated combined ECG and blood pressure monitor app.

In the US, heart disease is the leading cause of death, higher than deaths caused by all cancers combined. Issues related to heart disease, such as hypertension caused by atrial fibrillation, can dramatically increase the chances of other complications. For example, the risk of stroke – the third leading cause of death and leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the US – is increased by 50% in patients with hypertension.

Although there are ways to monitor conditions such as AF and clinical aspects including blood pressure, there has yet to be a single platform made available in the US that integrates both factors.

"Giving patients the ability to monitor two vital heart health statistics for stroke in one place has the opportunity to be life-changing," said Dr. David Albert, founder and chief medical officer at AliveCor. "With this combined data, patients can change their most important modifiable risk factor, blood pressure, and seek the right care that could improve heart health and prevent a stroke."

AliveCor’s current iteration of its Kardia ECG monitoring device attaches to the back of a smart device. The user tilts their device into a landscape position and places fingers from each hand on separate silver pads. The associated Kardia app then gives a real-time ECG reading.

The device also comes in a wristband form for the Apple Watch which includes a silver electrode patch for users to press their thumb against. An ECG reading is then displayed on the Watch face.

For both forms of the Kardia device, users can record audio during their ECG reading process, meaning symptoms can be logged alongside each reading. Users can then share their readings with their doctors if the app indicates any potential complications related to their ECG.

Omron’s blood pressure cuffs come in both upper arm and wrist forms and feature their own unique features, such as a movement sensor, the ability to share data to Omron’s online management platform BiLink, and the capacity to distinguish morning hypertension – a factor known to increase the chance of heart attack and stroke in the morning for hypertension patients.

"Our partnership with AliveCor reinforces Omron Healthcare's commitment to innovation that provides deeper insights, encourages behavioural change and promotes healthier lifestyle habits," said Ranndy Kellogg, ‎president and chief executive officer of Omron Healthcare. "The combination of precise technology generating accurate readings, and the ability to track and share that data easily, results in better treatment plans and better outcomes."