High-tech heart gadgets could save you from dying from a heart attack. As you learned in Health Alert 53, the signs of a heart attack aren't always clear. New technology could send help before you even realize your heart is in trouble.

For example, a middle-aged man begins to feel short of breath and a little discomfort in his chest. He dismisses these symptoms as just another sign of growing older. But a beeping sound from his pocket alerts him that his heart is in trouble.

He wears a monitor strapped to his torso that sends his heart information to a receiver the size of a pack of gum in his pocket. It automatically calls his doctor and an ambulance service and transmits the vital information. An ambulance arrives and the man gets treatment within minutes.

* Life-Altering Technology *

This is an example of new heart saving technology. Several new heart gadgets could save your life. When it comes to surviving a heart attack, early diagnosis and early treatment are keys. Heart monitors, automatic emergency monitors, and at-home defibrillators can dramatically speed treatment.

Heart Rate Monitors are popular with athletes. You can get one yourself to keep an eye on your heart rate. You wear the monitor on your wrist like a watch. You can take it anywhere. Mine is waterproof.

The monitor displays your current heart rate. You can set alarms to notify you if your heart rate goes above or below safe limits, or if the beat is irregular. You can check out wrist heart monitors at www.HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com.

Automatic Emergency Monitors IBM has recently designed these monitors. They will be available in the near future. They go a step farther than a regular heart monitor. These monitors alert emergency services and your doctor if your heart rate or vital signs become dangerous.

The monitors are lightweight, small and wireless. They are optimal for patients at increased risk of a heart attack. I will let you know when and where you can get one as soon as they are available.

At-Home Defibrillators can make the difference between life and death. The same defibrillators emergency rooms use for heart attacks are now available for home use. The defibrillators are lightweight and take minimal training to use. A loved one can administer a shock to someone who has just had a sudden cardiac arrest.

The defibrillator monitors the victim's vitals so that no one will administer an inappropriate shock. The systems provide all of the equipment needed in an emergency. They cost a few thousand dollars. If you have serious heart disease, it might be money well spent. You can learn more at www.StatKit.com.

Al Sears MD