Keeping a Smart Watch on Heart Health: A Look Ahead to Consumer Wearable Devices in the 2020s

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In a recent Cardiology article, Naomi F. Botkin, MD, FACC, shares her story about how a wearable device may have saved her life when she was experiencing moderate-intensity chest discomfort at work.

After turning to her Apple watch for an ECG, she noticed an ST elevation on the single lead tracing, and was later diagnosed with an acute myocardial infarction secondary to spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Nkechi Ijioma, MD, FACC, notes that while there are still some barriers to overcome, wearable devices can enhance self-management of cardiovascular risk factors, and have made significant gains in arrhythmia detection and monitoring.

"The evolution of wearable devices, their potential role in reshaping clinical practice, and their effect on cardiovascular outcomes will be exciting topics to follow in this new decade," Ijioma writes. Read more.

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