United Kingdom: A new groundbreaking study conducted at four Sainsbury’s supermarkets has discovered a potential lifesaving use for supermarket trolleys. By incorporating sensors into the handles, scientists have found a way to identify individuals at risk of stroke by detecting abnormal heart rhythms.

According to the British Heart Foundation, atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition that leads to irregular heart rhythms and increases the likelihood of stroke, affects approximately one in 45 people in the UK. Often undiagnosed, early detection is crucial to providing necessary treatments.

The innovative approach involved installing electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors in the handles of supermarket trolleys to screen adults for abnormal heart rhythms while they shop. Over the course of three months, 2,155 adults participated in the trial.

During the study, participants were instructed to hold the trolley handle for at least 60 seconds. If the sensors detected signs of AF, a red cross appeared on the trolley’s handle. Conversely, a green tick indicated that no irregularities were detected. Additionally, all participants underwent a pulse check as an additional screening measure.

Presented at Acnap 2023, a scientific congress organized by the European Society of Cardiology, the results revealed that 59 out of 220 participants diagnosed with AF were previously unaware of their condition. The ECG data of consenting individuals was analysed by a cardiologist, and those identified as potentially having AF were contacted to arrange cardiology appointments.

Professor Ian Jones from Liverpool John Moores University, one of the study’s authors, emphasised the accessibility of this health screening approach.

“My response is that they are not hard to reach; we’re just difficult to access. By adopting this kind of approach [to health screening], we’ve become more accessible, and therefore we’re much more likely to identify healthcare problems,” Prof. Jones added.

While the results are promising, the research team acknowledged the need for further refinement in accuracy. Approximately 20 percent of the 220 ECGs analysed were inconclusive due to complications arising from hand movements. Furthermore, while the method correctly identified individuals with AF between 70 percent and 93 percent of the time, its accuracy in detecting those without the condition was lower. The team estimated that only a quarter to a half of those flagged as having AF actually had the condition upon review.

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