China has launched a remote cardiovascular monitoring system,
sources with the Ministry of Health said yesterday.
An expert said that the system, linked to a database of more
than 900 Chinese hospitals nationwide, is designed to provide a
24-hour monitoring service.
He explained that concerned people will use an
electrocardiograph the same size as a mobile phone. By holding the
electrocardiograph to their chest for a few seconds, and then
pressing a button, users will be able to immediately submit data to
the monitoring center.
Doctors will immediately make a diagnosis and send advice to the
user in the form of a text message. This way, healthy people who
want high-quality health care or patients who do not need hospital
observation can check the state of their heart and blood vessels in
real time.
Luo Weisi, a well-known expert in the field who used to be a
member of the medical group with the Chinese delegation to the last
three Olympic Games, said that Chinese hospitals focus on patients
who suffer from heart disease, and seldom draw attention to those
who stay out of hospital. However, the heart disease situation is
worsening in China with hidden diseases becoming more
prominent.
In comparison with other diseases, cardiovascular disease today
has the highest growth and recurrence rate of all diseases in
China.
Statistics show that the country has more than 40 million
patients with cardiovascular disease. Each year, deaths from
cardiovascular disease account for 50 percent of the total deaths
in China. 75 percent of the survivors lose their ability to work to
some extent and 4 percent are severely disabled.
Controlling cardiovascular disease in China has therefore become
an urgent medical and social problem, Luo said.
He noted that developed countries have lower death rates from
heart disease due to the high consciousness of prevention among the
public and the continuous monitoring service provided by both
public and private hospitals.
Yang Yuejin, another well-known expert in cardiovascular
diseases, said better disease prevention is of great significance
to improving Chinese medical services. The launching of the remote
monitoring system is no doubt part of the solution.
(China Daily January 17, 2006)