Heart patients gain freedom, better monitoring with wireless pacemakers

If you had a pacemaker, would you rather hook yourself up to a monitor and place a phone call to the cardiologist's office, or simply walk within 90 feet of a wireless base station? Would you prefer to check in with the cardiologist every three months to test the pacemaker's battery or walk within 90 feet of the same base station? Yeah, easy questions. That's the kind of freedom that wireless pacemakers are affording heart patients these days. Plus, physicians can learn of cardiac abnormalities right away instead of waiting days or weeks for the next time the patient syncs the device.

"I feel like I'm pretty much safe or protected against any more attacks or any more irregular heartbeats," heart patient Anthony Masters tells the Chicago Tribune. Plus, he only has to see his cardiologist once a year, barring any serious abonormalities. And if the pacemaker does send an alert, the doctor might be able to resolve the problem remotely.

To learn more:
- check out this Chicago Tribune story (reg. req.)

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