Mpls. Company Offers 'Crystal Ball' For Heart Health
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Nearly half of all people who suffer heart attacks have no symptoms, making prevention all the more difficult. A new company that uses a Minnesota-made medical device is out to change that.
Bob Arnold is vice president of marketing and business development at HeartSavers.
"It's able to identify heart disease at its earliest stage and in people with no symptoms," Arnold said.
Using technology developed at the University of Minnesota by a local doctor, they administer what's called the "Cardio 101" test.
First, blood pressure is taken, and then measured to see if there's any thickening of the arteries.
"A device called a CV Profiler, and it's basically non-invasive, non-radiation," he said. "And this sensor is placed on your wrist."
A reading of elasticity of the small and large artery is ready within minutes, providing a glance into the future of the heart's health.
The device is available for sale to doctors, and Arnold says they could eventually be a staple at clinics.
"The science is found to be very valid and the evidence is building," he said. "With evidence-based medicine being key to controlling healthcare costs, we believe the time is right for this service to be more in the general public."
Arnold says for a nominal price, it's like looking into the crystal ball of your health's future.
"We've heard from people that were a walking time bomb and we found the heart disease for them," he said.
The "Cardio 101" test takes 20 minutes and costs $101. HeartSavers says they encourage clients to take the results to their primary physician for review.
