''The device is incredibly innovative and my constant companion.''
''When I feel my heartbeat becoming irregular, I apply the electrodes and record an ECG. Then I send the data to my cardiologist, who gets back to me straight away with a recommendation for what to do. This really helps me not to fall into a black hole of helplessness.''
After being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, Marcel found a new sense of reassurance through CardioSecur Active. It has been a trusted companion for him ever since.
Click here to know the whole story
In 2004, I had open-heart surgery at Hannover Medical School to treat a congenital defect of the aortic valve and a bulge in my aorta. Such bulges can suddenly burst, which is very dangerous.
There were no complications and the heart surgeon said it was a textbook operation.
After a year of rehabilitation, I was able to live a normal life as a 17-year-old and even started an apprenticeship. I was given blood-thinners (Marcumar) and the only slight inconvenience was that, if I wanted to eat certain foods, I had to increase my dose of Marcumar accordingly.
Until 2017, I lived a very active life, with a lot of physical and recreational activities and almost no health problems.
When my girlfriend and I moved in together, everything went to plan. We thought about where to put things and enjoyed choosing and assembling our new furniture together.
In July 2017, I was hanging some curtain rods when I suddenly felt my heartbeat become irregular. As this was the first time I had had an irregular heartbeat, I at first ignored it. It felt a bit like exam nerves. My heartbeat was erratic all night and I hardly slept, so I decided to see my cardiologist that day, just to be sure.
We have an excellent relationship and I know that I can ask to see him anytime if I feel there is a problem. After I had described my symptoms, he recorded an ECG. Then he said: you have atrial fibrillation!
At first, I was in shock and felt helpless. Atrial fibrillation. To me, this was a shocking diagnosis, because I thought it was the same as ventricular fibrillation.
My doctor explained the situation to me in detail and referred me to hospital immediately.
I was certain I would need to undergo electro cardioversion. This is a procedure performed under a short anesthetic, where doctors implant a type of defibrillator to get the heart back into a normal sinus rhythm.
But the doctors at the hospital had a different opinion and left me waiting. They wanted to perform a transesophageal echo first, to rule out the possibility of blood clots in my heart. I felt so helpless. While at the hospital, I didn’t receive continuous ECG monitoring. But I must have had a guardian angel – my heartbeat returned to sinus rhythm on its own.
The next day, they recorded an ECG and I was taken back to my room just before I was due for the transesophageal echo. The ward nurse explained to me that my heart was beating normally again and that they were giving me a betablocker just to be safe.
Following this and a long talk with my cardiologist, I was allowed to go home. I felt really happy and hoped that this was just a one-time thing. I continued to live my life as before, we went on holiday, I rode to work on my bike every day and so forth.
Until March 2018, when the atrial fibrillation returned. I could tell by my irregular heartbeat. It was on a Sunday, just after lunch and I was back to being in a situation of not knowing what my heart was doing.
I contacted my cardiologist on his hard-earned day of rest, and he recommended going to hospital to document the atrial fibrillation with an ECG recording. As I felt well enough, the doctors at the hospital sent me home despite the atrial fibrillation. They expected it to disappear by itself again.
The very next morning, I went to see my cardiologist. He prescribed an antiarrhythmic drug (Flecainide).
I felt incredibly relieved – like a new man!
Unfortunately, my girlfriend and I had been about to embark on a cruise. With a heavy heart, we cancelled our plans, as we were both worried that it might be too much for me. We had been planning to visit many European cities, which would have put a lot of strain on my heart.
After a period of recuperation, my cardiologist sat down with me again and recommended cardiac ablation. He helped me to get an appointment with Germany’s foremost experts in catheter ablation, at the Klinikum Links der Weser in Bremen. The doctors there specialize in electrophysiology, and they are true experts in their field. Following a long talk and several tests, they concluded that cardiac ablation would be possible, but not recommended at this time.
When I heard this, I was both relieved and anxious. I didn’t want to have to take medication all the time, just to keep my heartbeat regular. And I dreaded that feeling of uncertainty if my heart started acting up again.The doctors recommended I wait until the only way to get my atrial fibrillation back into a sinus rhythm is through electro cardioversion.
The doctors recommended I wait until the only way to get my atrial fibrillation back into a sinus rhythm is through electro cardioversion.
This means waiting until it occurs more frequently, and the side effects are worse. But their next sentence was crucial for me: it is important to document in detail the next occurrence of atrial fibrillation and the next irregularities. But to do so, you will need a 12-lead ECG.
To me, that meant having to go back to hospital and I really didn’t want that. So, I took the matter into my own hands and started researching possible solutions on the internet. I came across well-intentioned home ECG monitors, but as these only record a 1-lead ECG, they weren’t an option for me.
After more searching, I discovered CardioSecur Active. Its 15-lead ECG can provide all the detailed information my doctor needs to document any heart problems. I told my cardiologist about it and showed him one of the examples of a recorded ECG. He had previously heard about such devices but hadn’t had the time to look into them.
He confirmed that the ECG met all of the requirements. So, I didn’t hesitate to order CardioSecur Active. Now, I take it to work, on holiday, etc. I have it with me at all times and it gives me a sense of reassurance. When I feel my heartbeat become irregular, I apply the electrodes and record an ECG. Then I send the data to my cardiologist, who gets back to me straight away with a recommendation for what to do.
This really helps me not to fall into a dark hole of helplessness. And it saves me having to go the hospital just to record an ECG.
To me, this is an incredibly innovative device and it has become my trusted companion.
This is why CardioSecur Active gives me a sense of reassurance.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PEOPLE WHO INVENTED CARDIOSECUR!!!
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''The device is incredibly innovative and my constant companion.''
Marcel Opelt
''When I feel my heartbeat becoming irregular, I apply the electrodes and record an ECG. Then I send the data to my cardiologist, who gets back to me straight away with a recommendation for what to do. This really helps me not to fall into a black hole of helplessness.''
After being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, Marcel found a new sense of reassurance through CardioSecur Active. It has been a trusted companion for him ever since.
Click here to know the whole story
In 2004, I had open-heart surgery at Hannover Medical School to treat a congenital defect of the aortic valve and a bulge in my aorta. Such bulges can suddenly burst, which is very dangerous.
There were no complications and the heart surgeon said it was a textbook operation.
After a year of rehabilitation, I was able to live a normal life as a 17-year-old and even started an apprenticeship. I was given blood-thinners (Marcumar) and the only slight inconvenience was that, if I wanted to eat certain foods, I had to increase my dose of Marcumar accordingly.
Until 2017, I lived a very active life, with a lot of physical and recreational activities and almost no health problems.
When my girlfriend and I moved in together, everything went to plan. We thought about where to put things and enjoyed choosing and assembling our new furniture together.
In July 2017, I was hanging some curtain rods when I suddenly felt my heartbeat become irregular. As this was the first time I had had an irregular heartbeat, I at first ignored it. It felt a bit like exam nerves. My heartbeat was erratic all night and I hardly slept, so I decided to see my cardiologist that day, just to be sure.
We have an excellent relationship and I know that I can ask to see him anytime if I feel there is a problem. After I had described my symptoms, he recorded an ECG. Then he said: you have atrial fibrillation!
At first, I was in shock and felt helpless. Atrial fibrillation. To me, this was a shocking diagnosis, because I thought it was the same as ventricular fibrillation.
My doctor explained the situation to me in detail and referred me to hospital immediately.
I was certain I would need to undergo electro cardioversion. This is a procedure performed under a short anesthetic, where doctors implant a type of defibrillator to get the heart back into a normal sinus rhythm.
But the doctors at the hospital had a different opinion and left me waiting. They wanted to perform a transesophageal echo first, to rule out the possibility of blood clots in my heart. I felt so helpless. While at the hospital, I didn’t receive continuous ECG monitoring. But I must have had a guardian angel – my heartbeat returned to sinus rhythm on its own.
The next day, they recorded an ECG and I was taken back to my room just before I was due for the transesophageal echo. The ward nurse explained to me that my heart was beating normally again and that they were giving me a betablocker just to be safe.
Following this and a long talk with my cardiologist, I was allowed to go home. I felt really happy and hoped that this was just a one-time thing. I continued to live my life as before, we went on holiday, I rode to work on my bike every day and so forth.
Until March 2018, when the atrial fibrillation returned. I could tell by my irregular heartbeat. It was on a Sunday, just after lunch and I was back to being in a situation of not knowing what my heart was doing.
I contacted my cardiologist on his hard-earned day of rest, and he recommended going to hospital to document the atrial fibrillation with an ECG recording. As I felt well enough, the doctors at the hospital sent me home despite the atrial fibrillation. They expected it to disappear by itself again.
The very next morning, I went to see my cardiologist. He prescribed an antiarrhythmic drug (Flecainide).
I felt incredibly relieved – like a new man!
Unfortunately, my girlfriend and I had been about to embark on a cruise. With a heavy heart, we cancelled our plans, as we were both worried that it might be too much for me. We had been planning to visit many European cities, which would have put a lot of strain on my heart.
After a period of recuperation, my cardiologist sat down with me again and recommended cardiac ablation. He helped me to get an appointment with Germany’s foremost experts in catheter ablation, at the Klinikum Links der Weser in Bremen. The doctors there specialize in electrophysiology, and they are true experts in their field. Following a long talk and several tests, they concluded that cardiac ablation would be possible, but not recommended at this time.
When I heard this, I was both relieved and anxious. I didn’t want to have to take medication all the time, just to keep my heartbeat regular. And I dreaded that feeling of uncertainty if my heart started acting up again.The doctors recommended I wait until the only way to get my atrial fibrillation back into a sinus rhythm is through electro cardioversion.
The doctors recommended I wait until the only way to get my atrial fibrillation back into a sinus rhythm is through electro cardioversion.
This means waiting until it occurs more frequently, and the side effects are worse. But their next sentence was crucial for me: it is important to document in detail the next occurrence of atrial fibrillation and the next irregularities. But to do so, you will need a 12-lead ECG.
To me, that meant having to go back to hospital and I really didn’t want that. So, I took the matter into my own hands and started researching possible solutions on the internet. I came across well-intentioned home ECG monitors, but as these only record a 1-lead ECG, they weren’t an option for me.
After more searching, I discovered CardioSecur Active. Its 15-lead ECG can provide all the detailed information my doctor needs to document any heart problems. I told my cardiologist about it and showed him one of the examples of a recorded ECG. He had previously heard about such devices but hadn’t had the time to look into them.
He confirmed that the ECG met all of the requirements. So, I didn’t hesitate to order CardioSecur Active. Now, I take it to work, on holiday, etc. I have it with me at all times and it gives me a sense of reassurance. When I feel my heartbeat become irregular, I apply the electrodes and record an ECG. Then I send the data to my cardiologist, who gets back to me straight away with a recommendation for what to do.
This really helps me not to fall into a dark hole of helplessness. And it saves me having to go the hospital just to record an ECG.
To me, this is an incredibly innovative device and it has become my trusted companion.
This is why CardioSecur Active gives me a sense of reassurance.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PEOPLE WHO INVENTED CARDIOSECUR!!!
Back