Data from wearable devices predicted heart rates similarly to standard clinical measures for patients with cardiovascular disease, according to a study published July 15 in Nature Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham in England led the study, which was designed to test therapy options for 160 patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. Fifty-three participants of that larger study enrolled in a simultaneous substudy, on which the July 15 article analysis is based.
Participants in the substudy were provided wearable technology to track their heart rates and physical activity intervals over a 20-week period. The mean age of participants was 75.6 years old and 40% of the participants were women.
Data from the wearable devices was comparable to results found by electrocardiograms or six-minute walk tests, leading researchers to suggest wearable technology could be an alternative to multiple in-person clinical visits, the study said.