Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the world.
33 percent of all deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, leading to just over 17.9 million lives being lost globally each year.
More than 500 million people suffer from chronic cardiovascular disease. In Sweden alone, about one million people live with cardiovascular disease and about 100 new cases are discovered every day. Myocardial infarction and stroke are the two predominant diagnoses.
More than 500 million people suffer from chronic cardiovascular disease. In Sweden alone, about one million people live with cardiovascular disease and about 100 new cases are discovered every day. Myocardial infarction and stroke are the two predominant diagnoses.
In Sweden, 80–85 percent of the health care resources are used for care and treatment of chronic diseases. Almost every other adult Swede has at least one chronic illness and among those under the age of 20, every fifth has a chronic illness. It is estimated that one in four middle-aged adults in Europe will develop atrial fibrillation within their lifetime. An estimated 330,000 Swedes have atrial fibrillation and the number of diagnosed cases increases.
Atrial fibrillation is due to abnormal electrical impulses in the atrium of the heart and is characterized by irregular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation is diagnosed with an ECG but can be difficult to discover since the symptoms may often be irregular. Many people are therefore unaware that they have atrial fibrillation and are thus both undiagnosed and untreated, which entails a significantly increased risk of stroke.
In Sweden just over 20,000 people a year suffer from a stroke. It is estimated that atrial fibrillation has been a contributing cause in about 30 percent of those cases. The risk of stroke with clinically detected atrial fibrillation can be reduced by preventive treatment with blood thinners (anticoagulants). Coala plays an important role in helping to find atrial fibrillation and has been recommended since the spring of 2022 by the Swedish Medical Technology Product Council (MTP).
The United States is Coala Life’s most important market since it has a disproportionately high proportion of chronically ill patients.
More than 120 million American patients suffer from chronic cardiovascular disease. Many of these are potentially in the need of home monitoring of various clinical markers. In 2019, new legislation and compensation systems created opportunities for long-term monitoring and diagnosis of chronically ill patients in home environments – so-called Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM).
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) has developed rapidly as a healthcare model in the United States with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating this progress. Millions of patients are now involved in RPM programs where they are offered cloud connected medical devices. Caregivers are given the opportunity to regularly track and monitor vital parameters from patients at a distance and in everyday life. To qualify for RPM the patient must have an acute or chronic illness.
RPM requires the patient to use an FDA-approved, connected medical device and aims to provide better care between care visits, find complications early and prevent them from getting worse. Typical products used in RPM systems are connected blood pressure monitors, ECGs and scales.
RPM has developed rapidly and as of 2020, there are multiple CPT codes covering the services. There is no time limit for how long a patient is in an RPM program, it is governed by the clinical need. The caregiver’s average compensation for RPM amounts to approximately USD 150-200 per patient per month, depending on geography, technology and how much time is spent following the patients at home.
Examples of patients who qualify for RPM, and with relevance to Coala Life and Coala Heart Monitor are:
- Chronically ill heart patients
- Patients with irregular heartbeat, palpitations or suspected atrial fibrillation
- Patients in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
- Post-operative follow-up, e.g., after heart surgery or stroke
- Patients undergoing treatment with drugs that may have a negative effect on the heart
Coala Heart Monitor is 510k cleared and reimbursed by all US insurance companies for use in RPM programs and as a 30-day Event Monitor.