Smartwatches are designed to be more than just timepieces. Aside from tracking schedules, location and activities, they boast health-monitoring capabilities, especially activities affecting heart health.
Many Americans spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on the latest wearable devices thinking the more sophisticated and advanced they are, the better their chances of saving their lives. But smartwatches still have a long way to go when it comes to detecting various heart problems.
Smartwatches for heart health
Wearable devices have come a long way since they first hit the market. Several models now target health-conscious people who are after their heart-rate monitoring, workout tracking, sleep tracking and other features.
For heart health, smartwatches utilize photoplethysmography (PPG) technology, an optical technique that detects blood volume changes in a bed of tissue. Special LED lights and sensors work together to measure the changes in blood flow within the wrist.
On top of blood pressure, the same technology is used to measure oxygen saturation and cardiac output. The method is simple, low-cost and non-invasive, making it the ideal technology for smartwatches.
Smartwatches also monitor heartbeat and rhythm. A heart beating more erratically is a sign of atrial fibrillation. Some models have special algorithms to detect this condition, often associated with dangerous blood clots. Persistent atrial fibrillation could lead to heart failure, according to the National Health Service (NHS).
Can smartwatches diagnose serious heart problems?
The answer to this is yes and no. Currently available wearables are still limited when it comes to collecting pertinent information about the heart and its functions. They may give users and medical practitioners an idea, but they are far from being diagnostic tools.
A small study found that electrocardiogram (ECG) readings taken with a wearable timepiece could be just as accurate as the more traditional ECG machines available at…
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