Medtronic receives CE Mark approval for new single-chamber ICDs

Medtronic has announced that its new single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) have received European CE Mark approval.

The Visia AF and Visia AF MRI SureScan single-chamber ICDs can detect and monitor new onset, asymptomatic and previously undiagnosed AF, allowing physicians to better tailor treatment to the needs of the individual patient.

Both devices include a proprietary algorithm that accurately detects AF episodes, captures AF burden frequency and duration, and alerts the physician from the patient's home, thus helping to reduce their risk of stroke and heart failure.

Their contoured shape and thin, smooth edges increases patient comfort by reducing skin pressure by 30 percent, while they offer battery life of up to 11 years.

Dr Marshall Stanton, vice-president and general manager of Medtronic's tachycardia business, said: "With devices like the Visia AF ICDs and the Reveal Linq Insertable Cardiac Monitor … we aim to increase AF detection and enable physicians to manage a patient's risk for strokes and heart failure."