Do you want to know if fitness trackers detect irregular heartbeat? Let me show you all that is needed to know.
Fitness trackers may significantly enhance our capacity to see the condition of our health, and heart health is particularly significant.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) symptoms may now be identified and alerted to by Fitbit’s irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications.
That is not all, though.
Continue reading to learn how fitness trackers can identify an abnormal heartbeat.
Now let’s get started.
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How Does Fitness Tracker Examine The Heart
It is easy, and I will explain how it operates below
Regarding monitoring your pulse, both Apple watches and Fitbits rely on optical sensors known as “photoplethysmography” (PPG).
Therefore, wristwatch detection of abnormal timing of heartbeats might lead to genuine cases of atrial fibrillation (AFib) by employing ECG readings to confirm the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation (AF).
A bit of time has passed, and the most recent versions of smartwatches now boast even more polished algorithms.
These algorithms do a mathematical analysis of the PPG data and then decide whether or not to inform the wearer about irregular heartbeats.
Some of today’s variants of smartwatches even come equipped with single-lead electrocardiograph sensors that the wearer can activate.
Is Tracking Heart Attacks Easier With Fitness Trackers
Yes is the clear-cut response. However, wearable technology and fitness trackers can never be a substitute for a professional clinical examination; they can only be helpful supplemental tools.
They can serve as an early warning system, suggesting the need to visit an expert, and they can monitor heart rate, activity levels, and sleep habits.
According to a peer-reviewed study published in The European Heart Journal — Digital Health, wearable technology such as fitness trackers might be used to identify people at an increased risk of heart failure and irregular heartbeats later in life.
It examined information from 83,000 individuals who underwent a 15-second electrocardiogram (ECG) similar to those performed with fitness trackers and mobile devices.
The researchers discovered ECG records with additional heartbeats, often benign but can indicate cardiac failure and arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) if they happen frequently.
In this brief recording, they discovered that persons with an additional beat (one in 25 of the total) had a doubled chance of having heart failure or an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) during the following ten years.
People in the 50 to 70 age range without a known cardiovascular illness provided the ECG recordings that were evaluated.
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Which Fitbit Devices Are Compatible
You will need a compatible Fitbit smartwatch or fitness tracker to take advantage of this capability.
To our relief, a substantial portion of the company’s products already come equipped with everything necessary to make use of this function:
- Firmware version 44.128.1.42 or above is required for the Fitbit Sense.
- Firmware version 36.128.1.42 or higher is required for the Fitbit Versa 3
- Firmware version 35.68.9.7 or higher is required for the Fitbit Versa 2.
- Firmware version 38.33.1.30 or higher is required for the Fitbit Versa Lite.
- Firmware version 20001.141.4 or higher is required for the Fitbit Charge 5
- Firmware version 58.20001.130.17 or higher is required for the Fitbit Luxe.
- Firmware version 20001.78.33 or higher is required for the Fitbit Charge 4
- Firmware version 20001.49.45 or higher is required for the Fitbit Charge 3
- Firmware version 20001.98.14 or above is required for the Fitbit Inspire 2.
How Accurate Are Fitness Tracker Like Smartwatches And Other Wearables
The simple answer is that wearables are likely to be highly accurate (typically exceeding 95% accuracy) in detecting atrial fibrillation.
However, the data is frequently based on research on small groups of people. These algorithms often require regulatory permission (for example, from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
However, gadget manufacturers frequently need to share more facts concerning the accuracy and efficacy of their products.
The TGA does not regulate wearables that measure heart rate or exercise without making claims concerning severe diseases.
It is critical that makers of medical devices:
1. are truthful in their health claims
2. Do not promote unproven advantages.
3. document the accuracy and performance of their gadgets in various populations.
While the Fitbit, Apple, and Huawei studies were substantial, the calculations used to assess device accuracy may have been based on tiny numbers because of the limited number of patients in the research who had atrial fibrillation.
The Apple Heart research, for example, had 419,000 participants – that’s a lot of people!
The accuracy, however, was determined by comparing simultaneous recordings of atrial fibrillation on the wristwatch pulse irregularity detector with an ECG patch in just 86 persons.
Can A Smartwatch Detect Heart Problems
Yes, and no, in a nutshell. Fitness trackers now available provide very minimal information about your heart.
Capabilities are often determined by the type of technology used. Fitness trackers can give you the following kind of information concerning your heart health:
1. Heart rate detection: This can involve calculating your heart rate (if it is between 30 to 210 beats per minute), measuring your heart rate variability (changes in the duration between each pulse), and alerting you if your heart rate is excessively high or low.
2. Detection of atrial fibrillation: The FDA has certified various fitness trackers to detect this arrhythmia. PPG and a single-lead ECG are used by watches that can detect atrial fibrillation.
3. Blood pressure detection: A built-in inflatable cuff can measure this. Or it may be calculated using the same light-sensor technology (PPG) that detects heart rate.
4. Blood oxygen level: This can tell you how well your heart flows blood to your lungs and the rest of your body.
Fitness trackers cannot detect significant diseases such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and other cardiac disorders.
You must see your doctor if you experience signs of a heart problem, such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or palpitations. Do not rely on a wearable device to make a diagnosis.
What Are The Biggest Limitations Of Fitness Trackers For Heart Issues
It simple. What fitness trackers can monitor and detect is restricted. They must be equipped to replace a healthcare expert or even a full 12-lead ECG in a healthcare practitioner’s office.
Other limitations of fitness trackers for detecting cardiac problems include the following:
1. Artefact: This is “noise” in the signals detected and reported by the timepieces. It may result in an incorrect reading. As a result, this might lead to unneeded anxiety.
2. Lower accuracy for heart rate detection in those with darker skin: the light-detecting technologies utilized by fitness trackers may need to be more effective in people with darker skin.
3. Concerns about privacy and security: No one wants their sensitive health information stolen without their knowledge. However, recording your cardiac data in fitness trackers is an uncomfortable truth.
4. Uncertain role in your care: In other words, will the information gathered by the wristwatch help your care? The solution remains a mystery.
However, continuing research is being conducted to determine how the knowledge might best benefit individuals.
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Final Thought
Now that we have established that fitness trackers can detect irregular heartbeat, The heart’s health may be monitored by fitness trackers, albeit in a limited capacity.
They cannot identify potentially fatal conditions like heart attack, heart failure, or stroke.
Therefore, wearable fitness trackers are only sometimes essential for maintaining a healthy heart. And don’t put your hope in one of them to rescue your life.
Before you go out and spend a lot of money on a wearable gadget, it’s a good idea to discuss with your doctor what you want to gain from using a wristwatch to monitor your heart.