AF Management Think Forward in AF Management for Device Patients

Diagnosing atrial fibrillation (AF) can be particularly challenging, especially when episodes are infrequent or asymptomatic. Implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) offer continuous long-term monitoring of arrhythmias; however, doctors can spend valuable time and resources analyzing false-positive AF episodes, leaving patients waiting for accurate answers. BIOTRONIK’s BIOMONITOR IV with SmartECG Technology changes this. As a powerful combination of advanced sensing technology and intelligent algorithms, it delivers precise, clinically meaningful data to help doctors diagnose AF. 

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, affecting millions worldwide, and can lead to stroke, dementia and heart failure. As such, it demands forward-thinking, early action. At BIOTRONIK, we focus on proactive care with innovative cardiac technologies that can help prevent, detect, monitor and treat AF. In line with this mission, our Closed-Loop Stimulation (CLS) technology offers a smarter, more responsive rate adaptation solution to manage heart rhythm disorders, helping prevent AF before it starts. CLS has been proven to reduce the risk of AF and support patients during not only physical but also emotional stress—something traditional DDDR pacemakers fail to do. 

Silent but dangerous: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder—and a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, and hospitalizations—yet many episodes go undetected. AF develops in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients at an annual incidence of nearly 21%, often occurring in patients who showed no signs of it at implant, which makes early detection critical.[i]

BIOTRONIK’s DX Technology makes it possible. It equips single-lead ICDs with the ability to accurately detect atrial arrhythmias, providing the diagnostic power of a dual-lead system without the added complexity. Backed by robust clinical experience from over 120,000 implantations[ii], DX is the only single-lead ICD system that delivers AF management data directly from the atrium, setting a new standard for proactive care.

This September, for Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting how early intervention technologies are reshaping cardiac care. Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects millions worldwide and often goes undetected until it causes serious harm. At BIOTRONIK, our focus on forward-thinking, proactive care drives innovation across cardiac technologies, helping physicians prevent, detect, diagnose and manage conditions such as AF and improve the quality of life of their patients.

For Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting early detection and continuous monitoring technologies that enable effective, forward-thinking AF management. While symptomatic episodes often bring patients to clinical attention, it’s the asymptomatic or subclinical AF episodes that frequently go unnoticed. Individuals with AF have four times the risk of heart failure as individuals without AF, and approximately 10-40% of AF patients remain asymptomatic or undiagnosed, even in developed countries.[iii] 

This is where remote monitoring technology, such as BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring, can transform a doctor’s toolkit, enabling proactive, data-driven AF detection and management.