Smartwatches improve the detection of atrial fibrillation

Smartwatches with both PPG and ECG functionality improve the detection of atrial fibrillation in comparison with standard care. Researchers from Amsterdam UMC analysed the data from 437 patients and detected heart arrythmia four times more often in those who wore an Apple Watch. These results are published today in JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology).  

Traditionally, monitoring takes place with other ECG devices, but patients can find them a bit irritating, and most of them can only monitor for two weeks at a time."

Michiel Winter, cardiologist, Amsterdam UMC

Atrial fibrillation is the arrhythmia associated with stroke. Irregular atrial beating can lead to the formation of clots. If these clots travel to the brain, they can cause a stroke. 

"Wearables that track both your pulse and heart's electrical activity by combining PPG and ECG functions have been around for a while now. However, how well this technology works for the screening of patients at elevated risk for atrial fibrillation had not yet been investigated in a real-world setting" adds Nicole van Steijn, PhD candidate at Amsterdam UMC. 

Research, led by Winter and conducted by Van Steijn, provided 219 patients over the age of 65 and at elevated stroke risk with an Apple Watch, while 218 patients received standard care. Patients were monitored for six months, with smartwatch users wearing the watch for 12 hours a day. 

"We saw that after six months we diagnosed and treated 21 patients in the group wearing the smartwatch, of whom 57% were asymptomatic. This was against just five diagnoses in the group receiving standard care, all of whom experienced symptoms," says Winter. 

These research results have also been presented at the European Society of Cardiology's annual symposium in London and, in the eyes of Winter, offer solid evidence that a wearable is not only suitable for long-term screening but also increases the detection rate of heart arrythmias. 

"Using smartwatches with PPG and ECG functions aids doctors in diagnosing individuals unaware of their arrhythmia, thereby expediting the diagnostic process. Our findings suggest a potential reduction in the risk of stroke, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system by reducing costs. This reduction would offset the initial cost of the device," concludes Winter.