The nation's first rehabilitation and research center for heart,
lung and brain diseases has set up shop in south China's Guangdong Province, aiming to offer timely
treatment to patients, especially those suffering from
cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases.
As part of its efforts to provide immediate care to
cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients, the center will soon
implement a province-wide remote wireless monitoring system.
"The system is aimed at avoiding sudden death, which often
happens to cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients," said Huang
Zitong, deputy director of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun
Yat-sen University.
The system relies on a special medical device called a "remote
life information monitor", which is implanted in the bodies of
cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients.
"The device, which is just like a cell phone, has four inductors
to detect irregularities, such as potentially fatal health
problems, and then send the information to the monitoring center,"
Huang said.
"If an abnormal situation is discovered, we will immediately
call hospitals near the patient to offer timely treatment. In this
way, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients will face a
decreased risk of sudden death," Huang told China Daily
yesterday.
The number of people suffering from cerebrovascular and
cardiovascular diseases has been rising during the last five
decades, Huang said.
"Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases pose a high risk
since they could lead to an unexpected death. But if we detect them
early enough and provide immediate medical treatment, the patients
will have more chances for survival," Huang said.
Huang said the rehabilitation and research center is currently
working with medical institutions located in residential areas in
the coastal city of Shenzhen to implement the remote wireless
monitoring system.
"The system will mainly be promoted in areas that have a large
number of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients. After
Shenzhen, it will be implemented in Guangzhou," Huang said.
Shenzhen's Bao'an District has so far invested some 10 million
yuan (US$1.3 million) to implant the remote wireless devices in
cerebrovascular and cardiovascular patients in four residential
communities.
(China Daily August 21, 2007)