Are fitness trackers or smartwatches helpful for your heart?

Dev Vaz, MD

Cardiology

Fitness trackers or smartwatches have become a popular way to keep track of your heart rate and activity level. But you may be wondering how they work. Are they accurate? Should someone with heart disease use them to monitor their heart? Cardiologist Dev Vaz, MD, provided some insight.

How do fitness trackers work?

“Most of these devices rely on a technology called plethysmography, which uses LED light to detect variations in blood volume underneath the device’s sensors” explained Dr. Vaz.

The beat-to-beat changes represent the heart rate or pulse rate. Some devices can even provide a limited electrocardiogram (ECG) by recording the electrical impulses of the heart.

Should people with heart disease use these devices?

“Studies have shown that these devices, under the proper supervision of a health care provider, can aid in the diagnosis of arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (AFib) and help those patients monitor their heart,” said Dr. Vaz.

Some of these devices can detect abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, by keeping track of heart rate variability or the irregularity of the pulse.

They may also provide a cost-effective alternative to help screen for arrhythmias and may allow for more timely intervention, with the added potential benefit of helping patients understand their condition by connecting other symptoms they may be experiencing with arrhythmia. 

“However, at the same time, such devices can give false positive alerts or results that could provoke anxiety, and result in unnecessary testing, treatment or procedures,” said Dr. Vaz. “This can occur due to movement, noise, improper contact with skin or other such problems.”

It is, therefore, very important to work with your health care provider to determine if a fitness tracker or smartwatch is a good option for you and ensure the device you select has the functions you need to track your heart properly. Correct interpretation of the readings or results from these devices is important to make sure the appropriate treatment is chosen.