A medical device invented in New Jersey and designed to save the lives of heart disease patients has won approval by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

The AngelMed Guardian System consists of an implant and a pager. The implant is placed inside the patient’s chest and connected by wire to the heart.

It can detect abnormal heart activity before the patient notices symptoms and can alert them with the pager about the problem. It is intended for high-risk patients.

"Our typical patient profile is someone who has survived a heart attack…or has diagnosed unstable angina…and also is diabetic or has kidney problems,” says Angel Medical Systems COO David Keenan. 

Keenan says that the company hopes to have the device available for patients by early 2019.