Spotting strokes

A  hand-held device which could detect the warning signs of heart disease and stroke, could soon be a reality thanks to a £75,000 investment from NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts).

Across the world over 300 million people suffer from peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and the figure is rising. The condition is an important risk marker for heart attacks and strokes, which might be preventable with earlier diagnosis.

With investment from NESTA, Lachesis and Tennants Ventures, a breakthrough technique is being developed which could have a strong impact on the screening of PVD in diabetics- a group of patients where existing screening technology is unreliable.

The technique, PoDX, is being developed by Dialog Devices, a spin-out from Loughborough University co-headed by Dr. Vincent Crabtree. Dr. Crabtree, whose fiancée is diabetic, was inspired by the plight of his grandfather who died at 55 after having his leg amputated due to PVD, something that may well have been prevented with the PoDX technique.