Press Release: ‘HeartKey® supports ground-breaking research on real-time stress monitoring‘

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Friday November 11th, 2022

B-Secur presents at AHA Scientific Sessions

We were delighted to attend and present at this year’s Scientific Sessions. The event which was organised by the American Heart Association took place from the 5th to the 7th of November in Chicago, IL. This was our first time attending the three-day event which showcases the latest accomplishments and innovations in cardiovascular and stroke science by global thought leaders.

B-Secur was represented by our Senior Clinical Manager, Holly Easlea, who presented on two occasions. In case you missed it, don’t worry! We have it all covered below.

Accurate Detection of Acute Psychological Stress Events Using Single Lead ECG Data

In this Moderated Digital Poster, Holly discussed how stress can impact an individual’s health and can lead to serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and mental health issues. [1]

The utilisation of wearable biosensing technology allows physiological stress to be continuously, non-invasively tracked providing valuable insights for preventative healthcare.

The study outlined B-Secur’s validation of the HeartKey® Physiological Stress algorithm in detecting stress derived from single lead ECG data collected on wearable technology. The algorithm showed a strong correlation with clinically recognised methodologies including electrodermal activity (EDA) and State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI).

This shows potential for the use of wearable technology to allow cheap, widely accessible methods of monitoring stress to help combat stress-related illnesses.

 

“I felt privileged to be able to attend the AHA Scientific Sessions on behalf of B-Secur this year. As this was the first conference I have presented at, I was naturally pretty nervous. However, once I arrived and started to meet others, getting a feel for the event, I was excited to be there. I presented B-Secur’s innovative work on stress and VO2 Max which was a proud career moment for me.”

“Additionally, by listening to all the amazing panels, presentations, and posters throughout the event, I was able to bring home more knowledge and awareness of the exciting work happening globally in the heart health space.

“I also must mention the cherry on the top, a puppy petting area in the middle of the conference, which was a lovely de-stressor (very topical!) during my trip.”

Accurate, Non-invasive Monitoring Of VO2 Max Using Wearable ECG Technology

On the final day of the conference, Holly’s Rapid Fire Oral presentation highlighted the utilisation of the HeartKey® VO2 Max algorithm in generating a VO2 Max from single lead ECG data acquired on the non-invasive HeartKey® Chest Module throughout a multi-stage exercise protocol.

Holly firstly discussed the importance and significance of monitoring VO2 Max and its potential impact on all-cause mortality in comparison to traditional clinical risk factors. [2]

B-Secur’s study evaluating the accuracy of the VO2 Max metrics generated by the HeartKey® algorithm was then presented which explored the use of wearable technology to allow individuals to estimate their VO2 Max outside of the controlled clinical environment, offering a more convenient, cost-effective, and highly scalable option.

The results were promising and comparable to that of the ground truth indirect calorimetry method, showing HeartKey®’s ability to generate VO2 Max metrics accurately and reliably from single lead ECG data collected on a non-obstructive, non-invasive, dry electrode, wearable chest device.

 

[1] Yaribey H, et al. EXCLI J. 2017; 16:1057-1072.

[2] Mandsager K, et al. JAMA Netw. 2018; 1:e183605