How Wearable Devices are Transforming Cardiac Care

Introduction: Wearable devices are revolutionizing healthcare, especially in cardiology. By enabling continuous, non-invasive monitoring of key physiological parameters, they help detect arrhythmias, monitor heart rate variability (HRV), and track daily activity levels. With devices like smartwatches, rings, and textile-based systems, both patients and clinicians can access real-time data that supports better health outcomes.

Key Metrics Monitored:

• Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Includes SDNN, RMSSD, and pNN50. Lower HRV is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, with SDNN values below 50 ms and RMSSD values below 20 ms signaling concern.
• Physical Activity: Current guidelines suggest aiming for 150-300 min/week of moderate-intensity or 75-150 min/week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a combination of both. Moderate-intensity (~3-6 METs) includes brisk walking (~100 steps/min) or cycling, while vigorous-intensity (>6 METs) includes running (~130+ steps/min). A daily step goal of 7,000-10,000 steps is associated with lower mortality, though benefits plateau beyond this range. For those tracking MET-minutes, the goal is 500-1,000 MET-min/week (e.g., 150 min at 3-4 METs). Every bit of movement counts—breaking up sedentary time and incorporating strength training twice a week adds even more health benefits!
• Sleep Patterns: Short sleepers (commonly < 7 h per night, often < 5 h per night) have a 12% greater risk, and long sleepers (commonly > 8 or 9 h per night) a 30% greater risk of dying than those sleeping 7 to 8 h per night. Sleep duration and quality are extremely important!

Device Types:

• Smartwatches (Apple Watch, Fitbit): Detect atrial fibrillation with up to 98% positive predictive value (Fitbit Heart Study) and provide irregular rhythm notifications (Apple Heart Study).
• Rings and Smart Jewelry (Oura Ring, Motiv Ring): Measure HRV, sleep, and stress levels.
• Textile Systems (Myant Health’s Skiin platform): Enable long-term ECG monitoring and activity measurement with medical-grade accuracy.

These devices empower individuals to take control of their health, support lifestyle modifications, and enable early detection of cardiac events. Continuous monitoring helps reduce hospital readmissions, improving both patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

For more information watch my recent interview with CardioVisual at https://tr.ee/c9vJATTeyq

Stay tuned for the next article in this series, where we’ll explore the technological aspects behind these devices.