Wearable Cameras, Nuts, and More from ESC 2019
The 2019 European Society of Cardiology Congress is in the books. This post highlights a few of the more popular stories from the meeting, including good news for DocWire News readers who like nuts. Other stories include interesting preliminary data on wearable cameras on heart failure patients, and additional documented risks for the heart from malaria.
ESC 2019: Wearable Cameras; Nuts Lower Heart Attack and Stroke; and More
Rare Heart Disease Detection by Smartwatch?
This article takes a closer look at the use of photoplethysmography (PPG) for the potential detection of atrial fibrillation using a wearable device. This is achieved through the detection of changes in blood volume, and the measurement of heart rate and cardiac cycle through the surface of the skin. “Based on our present study, continuous home-monitoring with smart device based PPG technology could be a feasible, cost-effective approach for AFib screening,” one of the lead researchers said. “There were 95% patients following entry into a program of integrated AFib care, and approximately 80% of high risk patients were successfully anticoagulated. This would help efforts at screening and detection of AFib, as well as early interventions to reduce stroke and other AF-related complications.”
Verily and iRhythm Collaborate for Wearable AFib Device
Verily, an Alphabet organization, and iRhythm have recently teamed up to create a wearable device specifically for the detection of atrial fibrillation. This differs, according to the creators, from the arrhythmia detection capabilities of the broadly-targeted iWatch, by focusing on asymptomatic patients. “If you give the devices to people who might actually benefit, you are much more likely to see the benefit,” said Jeffrey Wessler, a New York cardiologist York who runs the HeartBeat health clinics.
Verily and iRhythm Team Up to Develop Atrial Fibrillation Detecting Wearable Device
