Fitbit can detect silent AF: study
A new algorithm for detecting arrhythmia is before the US FDA for approval
Almost all detections of AF using an algorithm for a Fitbit wearable device are true positives, a large study shows.
US researchers said that 98% of positives for AF were confirmed as correct when an ECG patch was then worn for a week in their study of almost half a million people.
The findings were reported to the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2021 virtual meeting by Dr Steven Lubitz of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, US.
Dr Lubitz and colleagues developed the algorithm which makes use of the Fitbit’s photoplethysmogram software to detect irregular heart rhythms and report results to a smartphone app.
