Race To Feature Real-Time Cardiac Research
For the first time ever, wireless technology will be used during the run.
From: Running USA
AMHERSTBURG, Ontario – – The World Alzheimer’s Day Run for Heroes Marathon (RFH Marathon), the official run for the War of 1812 Bicentennial celebration between Canada and the United States,will be monitoring the hearts of select runners and streaming the real-time electrocardiography (EKG) results to a physician for analysis. The Marathon is set for Sunday, September 23, 2012.
The monitoring device is called a cardiphone and it acts as a wireless device that combines cardiac arrhythmia monitoring and cell phone technology in one unit allowing for real-time transmission and recording of patient data files to a service center for timely analysis and physician attention.
The RFH Marathon has partnered with the Windsor Cardiac Centre to offer this technology making them a first to conduct research of this nature using the cardiphone during a marathon run.
According to Dr. K.A. Tayebi, director of quality assurance and sustainability for the Windsor Cardiac Centre, the Windsor Cardiac Centre is the only cardiac outpatient centre using this technology in Canada.
“We are leading Canada towards a healthier heart with experienced cardiologists using the most advanced technology on earth,” Dr. Tayebi commented.
“From a research and medical progress perspective as well as from a sport performance perspective, real-time cardiac monitoring will enable us to better understand how the heart operates under various types of stress and endurance conditions which will lead to the development of new strategies for patients to minimize their risk and for athletes to improve their performance,” said Tayebi on the technology.
Dr. Tayebi also noted that the Centre is Canada’s first and only outpatient cardiac facility to be accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Echocardiography.
The race director for the Marathon is excited to be showcasing this technology as his race.
“The RFH Marathon is always striving to deliver the highest quality run experience and the introduction of this ground-breaking technology, the cadiophone, provides athletes with the opportunity to see the effect, through an EKG, of the marathon on their heart,” race director Chris Uszynski said. “To our knowledge this will be the first time this technology is employed in endurance sport racing anywhere in the world. In the not so distant future, technology like this will revolutionize running and the associated risks.”