Smartwatches can detect heart failure and read your mail.
Heart failure affects up to one in fifty individuals in the United Kingdom, with approximately 200,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
Most people are found late, which can cause kidney damage and anaemia.
Now, a study suggests that a smartwatch may be able to detect an early warning sign of cardiac failure.
The study of more than 83,000 individuals found that people whose heartbeats are too close together. Indicating a different electrical pattern in the lower chambers of the heart, have approximately double the risk of heart failure.
Crucially, according to the study authors, this abnormality can be detected using an ECG on a smartwatch.
A user of a smartwatch only needs to observe for 15 seconds to determine if any of their heartbeats. The tall vertical spikes in the ECG pattern – are too close together. Each spike consists of two distinct vertical lines shaped like an inverted ‘V’.
According to the study, approximately one in fifty middle-aged individuals have irregular heartbeats like these every 15 seconds.
Although they are frequently completely benign, they can occasionally indicate an increased risk of heart failure.
Knowing this could enable middle-aged people to request a more thorough heart examination from their physician.
Dr. Michele Orini of the Institute of Cardiovascular Science at University College London directed the study that examined middle-aged individuals’ ECG results and their risk of developing future cardiac problems.
He stated, “Smartwatches present an exciting future for detecting emerging heart problems early, allowing those at increased risk of heart failure to take preventative measures such as exercising more and improving their diet.”
Early disease detection is crucial, and technology can assist with that.
The study, which was published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health, examined 83,340 individuals between the ages of 50 and 70 who underwent a 15-second ECG using electrodes placed on their bodies.
The study authors say the reading is similar to a smartwatch with a heartbeat sensor.
The results of the study also provide additional evidence that smart devices may detect the risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can cause dizziness and shortness of breath.
While premature ventricular contractions – heartbeats close together in the lower chambers of the heart – were associated with heart failure, premature atrial contractions – heartbeats close together in the upper chambers of the heart – were associated with roughly twice the risk of atrial fibrillation.
Patients’ medical records were examined for up to eleven years after their ECG to determine if they acquired cardiac issues.
On smart watches, abnormally close heartbeats are visible in an electrocardiogram.
A premature ventricular contraction appears as two inverted Vs that are close together, whereas an atrial contraction appears as two vertical lines that are close together.
However, scientists want manufacturers of smartwatches to provide notifications so that people do not need to interpret the patterns themselves.
When the electrical signals that cause heartbeats occur in the incorrect part of the heart or follow the wrong pathway through the heart, the heartbeats are too close together.
If this occurs once every 15 seconds, it can occur thousands of times per day, and experts believe this strains the heart, which may lead to heart failure or atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is associated with a fivefold increased risk of stroke.
Smart devices have been shown to detect atrial fibrillation, but less is known about their ability to detect heart failure.
Too-close heartbeats also raised the risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, according to the new study.
As with other heart conditions, heartbeats can become too close together as a precursor to more severe heart conditions.
Experts caution, however, that their ECGs are less accurate than those obtained in Physician offices.
People who have at least one premature heartbeat every 15 seconds are typically elderly and heavier.
Despite these factors, this anomaly raised the risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
The study found that men with premature ventricular contractions had a one-third higher mortality risk.
