Google is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an algorithm that would let its fitness trackers monitor your heart rate at all times for irregularities, making potential pitfalls a reality. warn earlier.
The Fitbit Sense and Charge XNUMX are two of the best free Fitbits around today, thanks in part to their ECG sensors that time the electrical impulses that make your heart beat. If your watch detects an abnormal rhythm (atrial fibrillation), you'll receive an alarm on your watch face and the Fitbit mobile app can produce a report that you can share with your doctor.
Atrial fibrillation doesn't always need treatment, and smartwatches can sometimes give false-positive results, but it's one thing worth looking into. Today, however, the ECG app must be activated manually, which most people without symptoms probably do regularly.
As The Verge reports, if Google wins FDA approval, the next Fitbit could monitor atrial fibrillation in the background, making it more likely to spot irregularities.
According to Tony Faranesh, a Fitbit researcher, there is no clear timeline as to when passive ECG monitoring could truly appear, and it will likely be some time before it can be incorporated globally, as Google will need approval from the relevant medical regulator. in each and every country. jurisdiction before activating the option there.
Other ways to verify
Can't wait that long? If you have an Apple Watch XNUMX or later (except Apple Watch SE), you can set your watch to automatically check for irregular heartbeats throughout the day.
Open the “Health” app on your iPhone, tap the “Browse” tab and choose Heart followed by “Irregular Heartbeat Notifications”. With that done, you can enable or disable irregular heartbeat notifications using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Monitoring isn't relentless, but your watch will check for signs of atrial fibrillation every two hours or so (depending on your activity level) and you'll receive an alarm if it notices anything unusual and confirms it with multiple readings.
However, it is essential to keep in mind that smartwatches like the Apple Watch cannot warn of heart attacks. If you have symptoms of a heart attack, you should call emergency services immediately.