Ambulatory Recorders

Patients with cardiac problems need to have their heart rate/rhythm and blood pressure monitored over a period to enable their consultant to diagnose their condition.

Rather than tie up hospital beds, patients are fitted with portable recorders to use at home. The ECG unit requires only three electrodes to be attached to the chest, and the blood pressure unit needs an arm cuff for completely automatic operation.

After 24 hours, the patient returns top the hospital and the results are taken from the recorders and passed to the consultant for diagnoses.

The Friends purchased five ECG units at £1712 each, and four blood pressure units at £1202 each, total cost - £13,376.