Thibodaux Regional Health System is the first in the region to offer an
innovative new technology that can save the lives of those suffering from
hard-to-diagnose arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are essentially irregular heartbeats.
But severe or long-lasting ones can compromise the heart's ability
to pump enough blood around the body.
The slim LINQ heart monitor is the smallest device on the market and takes
just minutes to place during an easy, outpatient procedure.
"The LINQ heart monitor is an implantable device that's inserted
under the patient's skin next to the sternum over the heart,"
said Dr. Al Timothy, a cardiologist on the medical staff at Thibodaux
Regional. "It monitors the heart rhythms and detects otherwise undetectable
rhythms."
"One of the problems with an arrhythmia is that it tends to come
and go," explained Timothy. "While seeing the physician or undergoing
tests, the arrhythmia may not be identified."
The LINQ makes it easier for physicians to identify an arrhythmia because
it monitors the heart's rhythms 24 hours a day for up to 3 years.
The LINQ gathers data, sends it to a mobile device in the patient's
home, which then transmits all of the information back to the physician's office.
"It could identify a serious arrhythmia that could be life-threatening,
thereby allowing the physician to properly diagnose it and treat it effectively,"
said Timothy.
If you'd like more information on the LINQ heart monitor, call the
Heart and Vascular Center of Thibodaux Regional at 985-493-4703.