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World Heart Day: In the era of technological advances, people can monitor their heart health with a simple click. Wearable technology is an effective strategy to mitigate the burden of cardiovascular diseases because these devices can be used to monitor the biomedical variables of a patient during daily activities. The size of wearable devices has been reduced, their accuracy of sensing biomedical variables improved, and their energy consumption reduced. Another factor which the manufacturers of wearable devices claim to give importance to is the security and privacy of the patient’s medical information.
Wearable devices are revolutionising the healthcare sector because they are available at reasonable costs and many of them can measure the electrocardiogram of patients. This allows timely diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Wearable devices can be commercial as well as non-commercial. Some of the commonly used commercial wearables include smart wristbands, smartwatches, smart eyewear, fitness tracker, smart clothing, and smart patches. Such devices are used to monitor biomedical variables such as blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and electrocardiogram data, according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Non-commercial wearable devices monitor electrocardiogram and photoplethysmography data, which is an optical measurement method used to monitor the heart rate with the help of a light source and a photodetector on the surface of the skin that together measure the volumetric variations of blood circulation. Non-commercial wearable devices are mostly accelerometers and smartwatches that detect atrial fibrillation (irregular and rapid heart rhythm) and heart failure.
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How safe and effective are wearable devices?
While wearable devices are helping a large number of people around the world, using them without incorporating healthy personal habits in one’s life will lead to disappointing results.
Therefore, wearable devices are generally safe and effective, but people should not practise self-diagnosis solely on the basis of the data provided by these gadgets, experts suggest. Also, they are not as accurate as medical-grade equipment.
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“Many people find it useful to monitor their heart rates using wearable technology, smartwatches, and health applications. These gadgets frequently measure heart rate using optical sensors, giving users continual information. They might not be as accurate as medical-grade equipment, though, and their accuracy can vary. These consumer-grade gadgets are generally thought to be secure for the vast population. They have undergone extensive testing to make sure there are no health hazards. Users should exercise caution when making important medical decisions in the absence of other sources of information,” Dr Sameer Gupta, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Group Director, Cardiac Cath Lab, Director Metro Group Cardiology & CTVS, Metro Hospital, Noida, told ABP Live.
Wearable devices and health applications can also be used to monitor one’s sleep patterns. However, how safe and effective these devices are depends on the way patients use them. Most importantly, the accuracy of wearable devices varies, which is why they must not be completely relied upon to deduce a certain health condition.
“Smart watches and health apps can monitor some health parameters like heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, sleep pattern, and walking steps. Effectiveness and safety depends on various factors including type of device, how they are used and individual health needs. Users should consult healthcare professionals and use these devices responsibly. Data can be used to monitor and motivate users to track their health and fitness goals. Accuracy of these devices can vary. It is advisable to choose reputable products and use them in conjunction with medical professional advice,” Dr Amit Malik, Director, Cardiology & Electrophysiology, Max Hospital, Vaishali, told ABP Live.
Pacemakers, which are devices used to control irregular heart rhythms, are placed in one or more heart chambers to deliver electrical signals to fix the heart rate. Now, new types of pacemakers called leadless pacemakers are available. These can be directly implanted into the heart, and do not use leads, which are flexible wires placed inside the heart chambers. Leadless pacemakers are one-piece devices that can be placed into the heart with the help of a vein. Traditional pacemakers require a separate battery, but leadless pacemakers do not.
“There have been improvements in pacemakers’ functionality and design. Leadless pacemakers are one of the newer varieties of pacemakers that are now accessible. Because they are implanted without conventional leads, they pose fewer dangers than earlier models. Although these pacemakers are generally secure and reliable, their usefulness relies on the patient’s particular requirements and medical condition,” said Dr Gupta.
He also explained that healthcare professionals must gauge how appropriate new pacemakers are, by analysing the unique medical needs of different patients.
There are several advanced pacemakers which are MRI-conditional. This means that such devices pose no harm to the patient in an MRI-specific environment.
“New generation pacemakers are more intelligent devices and provide better heart rhythm solutions. They are MRI-conditional and can provide rhythm solutions in a natural way. New types of pacemakers which are the size of a capsule and do not require any wires or leads are also available. These leadless pacemakers are safe and effective and can be implanted directly inside the heart,” said Dr Malik.
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