Wearable trackers and monitors (such as smartwatches) are . For people living with heart conditions, they can provide important information, including updates about abnormalities in heart rate and rhythm. But a recent study published in the found using wearables to monitor heart conditions like atrial fibrillation—an —can actually make people more anxious about their health.
It's a catch-22 situation: the may help you better manage your chronic heart condition, but wearing it could make you anxious—which is bad for those conditions. So what are the tradeoffs? And how can we get the most out of wearables, without unnecessary worry? Wearables to monitor heart conditions Wearables are playing an increasing role in managing and conditions like atrial fibrillation, the . Atrial fibrillation around 2% of the general population, and about 5% of those aged over 55.
Symptoms may include palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath, although some patients may live relatively symptom-free. Self management is important to improve quality of life and prevent complications, such as stroke and heart failure. People with atrial fibrillation also often experience high rates of .
—including anxiety, depression and worry about symptoms—affects between 25% and 50% of those living with the condition. Wearable devices can help people understand and monitor their condition by providing and rhythm data and alerts to detect atrial fibrillation episodes. This can be helpful to understand th.