Testing a New ECG Patch Against Traditional Holter in Elderly Fall Patients

Falls often lead to injuries in older adults, especially those who are frail or have memory problems. Standard ECG monitors can be uncomfortable and hard for these patients to use. A new device called the S‑Patch aims to solve this. It is a lightweight, dual‑lead patch that records the heart for up to three days while letting patients go about their daily routines.

The research team wanted to see how easy the S‑Patch is to wear compared with a traditional 24‑hour Holter monitor. They also wanted to know which device was more user‑friendly and how often each could spot irregular heart rhythms. The study was a single‑site, randomized, open‑label crossover trial. Seventy participants were split into two groups. Group A used a Holter first and then the S‑Patch. Group B used the S‑Patch first and then the Holter. This allowed each person to be monitored for up to four days in total.

Both devices were generally well tolerated, and participants did not show a strong preference for one over the other. The S‑Patch, however, kept being worn for longer periods. On average, patients wore the S‑Patch for more than 60 hours. When the patch was used first, the average wear time was about 69 hours, compared with roughly 63 hours for the Holter. Even patients who were frail and had cognitive issues managed to keep the S‑Patch on without problems.

The findings suggest that the S‑Patch can be a practical choice for continuous heart monitoring in older adults who are at risk of falls. It offers longer recording times without adding extra burden, making it a useful tool for clinicians studying heart rhythm problems in this population.