Twelve-Lead Electrocardiogram Acquisition With a Patchy-Type Wireless Device in Ambulance Transport: Simulation-Based...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease is a leading global cause of mortality.
• Timely diagnosis and treatment, especially reperfusion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), are critical.
• Prehospital 12-lead ECG (P12ECG) is recommended but not widely adopted, potentially delaying definitive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the time efficiency and feasibility of a patchy-type 12-lead ECG (P-ECG) device for use by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) during ambulance transport.
• To compare the performance of the P-ECG device against conventional 12-lead ECG (C-ECG) methods.

Main Methods:

• A simulation-based prospective randomized crossover-controlled study involving 18 EMTs.
• Participants used both C-ECG and P-ECG devices in a simulated ambulance environment (30 km/h).
• Time intervals from ECG application to result transmission were measured; usability was assessed via questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The P-ECG device demonstrated significantly faster overall interval times (130 seconds) compared to C-ECG (254 seconds) (P<.001).
• P-ECG was faster in most intervals, with C-ECG being quicker only in the preparation phase (P=.03).
• The P-ECG device showed high usability among EMTs.

Conclusions:

• Prehospital use of the P-ECG device by EMTs is faster than conventional methods during ambulance transport.
• The time saved can allow EMTs to provide additional patient care or expedite transport.
• This improved efficiency may reduce symptom-to-balloon times for acute coronary syndrome patients.