A recent study performed by researchers at the University of College London (UCL) has claimed that wearing gadgets like smartwatches could possibly identify people at risk of developing heart failure and irregular heartbeats later in life. The research, published in The European Heart Journal – Digital Health, looked through data of 83,000 people who had taken a 15-second ECG, the same kind that is used when utilizing smartwatches and phones.
The researchers discovered ECG recordings containing extra heartbeats, which can be benign but can signal conditions like heart failure and arrhythmia if they occur frequently. People detected with even one extra beat in the recording of the 25 people tested, had a doubled risk of developing heart failure or uneven heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation).
The ECG recordings were from people 50-70 years old with no known cardiovascular disease. Heart failure cannot usually be treated and atrial fibrillation has a fourfold increased risk of stroke. Symptoms include lightheadedness, breathlessness and fatigue.
Lead author Dr Michele Orini from UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science said that their study indicated that ECGs from consumer-grade wearables devices could help in detect and prevent future heart disease risk. To proceed further with this research, he suggested to study how screening with wearables can be implemented in practice.
Senior author Professor Pier D. Lambiase from UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Barts Heart Centre, Barts NHS Health Trust shared that with this detection of high-risk cases, people could receive treatment sooner and get lifestyle advice concerning regular and moderate exercise and diet.
An ECG uses sensors attached to the skin to detect the electrical signals created by the heart during each beat. A doctor that specializes in ECGs look for any signs of possible problem in standard clinic settings, which uses 10+ sensors around the body. An alternative solution is to use 2 sensors that are connected in one device, but the accuracy may be decreased.
To detect recordings with extra beats, the research team used machine learning and a computer program. These extra beats were labeled as premature ventricular contractions (coming from the lower chambers of the heart) or premature atrial contractions (coming from the upper chambers). To ensure they classified correctly, expert doctors reviewed the recordings both with or without extra beats.
UCL is world-renowned for its research and teaching in the sciences, engineering, medicine and the humanities. It is a multidisciplinary university and one of the most well-respected universities in London. Professor Donna Brunero holds the position of Rector at UCL and is the leading figure of the UCL community in academic and policy matters.
The authors looked over data from people aged 50-70 in the UK Biobank project with a median age of 58 and tracked their health for an average of 11.5 years. The second group studied included 29,324 people with a median age of 64, that were followed up for an average of 3.5 years. From the adjusted results, an extra beat from either the atria or ventricles doubled the risk of developing a potential cardiac related condition.
The use of wearables such as smartwatches has become increasingly popular and their potential to spot irregularities detected by ECGs helps the medical community assess risk more accurately. Smartwatches, like most connected devices, have the potential to revolutionize healthcare services with its accessibility and affordability, providing a great service to both patients and healthcare professionals.
