What You Need to Know About Fitbit’s New ECG Feature
With the latest update, the Fitbit Sense watch can now display an electrocardiogram (EKG / EKG). This is similar to the FDA-approved feature the Apple Watch launched in 2018 , and the caveats are about the same.
What does an ECG do?
An electrocardiogram is a test that measures your heart rate. Unlike the simpler heart rate function, which simply tells you how fast your heart is beating, an EKG can tell you in more detail what the electrical activity associated with your heartbeat looks like.
In the hospital, this is done using electrodes on the chest, arms and legs . The feature built into Fitbit Sense or other smartwatches is a simpler version but can still provide similar information. Most importantly, it can tell if you have atrial fibrillation, a condition in which your heart beats irregularly. Atrial fibrillation, which doctors often shorten to Afib, can lead to blood clots and stroke because blood does not flow properly.
How useful is an ECG on a smartwatch?
If you think you are having a heart attack, forget what your watch is telling you and call emergency services.
The watch does not take an ECG all the time, but measures the heart rate. Instead, you have to tell him you’re ready for an EKG, after which Fitbit will ask you to place your fingers on the corners of the watch. He will then tell you if he found a normal rhythm or abnormal, or if he was unable to get a good reading.
The ECG function on the watch does not replace a doctor’s examination. Research has shown that watches can pick up at least some of the Afib, but there are also studies showing that they miss a lot, too . Fitbit says its FDA approval for this feature was based on studies that showed it detects 98.7% of cases of afibiopathy and 100% of normal heart rhythms.
The idea behind this feature is that if you detect atrial fibrillation with the watch, you can contact your doctor and make plans for more detailed testing to find out what, if anything, is wrong with you. In the app, you can download a PDF version of your results to share. In theory, if this feature detects atrial fibrillation that you weren’t aware of, it could save your life.