Research suggests millions of heart patients could be given a Fitbit on the NHS, which could end the need for time-consuming hospital checks.
Fitness trackers work as well as hospital tests for monitoring heart health, new research shows. Giving patients the devices could save them time-consuming clinic visits.
Experts from the University of Birmingham tested the devices on patients with two common heart problems, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, which affect millions of patients in the UK.
The goal was to see if the trackers could monitor how well they responded to medication, something normally tested in a hospital clinic.
Most of the patients participating in the study were in their 70s. The researchers concluded that age is not a barrier to using the technology to improve health.
Researchers have found that devices such as Fitbits that monitor your heart rate and physical activity have clinical value for comparing response to two treatments for atrial fibrillation and heart failure
The trackers were evaluated in a clinical trial testing two commonly used heart medications: digoxin and beta-blockers.
Instead of sending the 160 patients, all of whom had heart failure or atrial fibrillation, to the hospital regularly, they gave them a Fitbit Charge 2 that continuously monitored their heart rate.
Fitbit did not provide the devices. They were paid for by a research institute. The company that made them had no input into the research.
This information collected by the devices indicated how well the drugs were working. The team then used artificial intelligence to analyze the collected data.
The conclusion was that the trackers were as good as the standard tests often used in clinics, which require a lot of staff and resources.
Heart failure affects one million Britons. Unlike a heart attack, which is a sudden event that occurs when part of the heart muscle dies due to a blockage in the blood flow, heart failure is a long-term condition.
This is often caused by a heart attack. It means that the muscle cannot pump blood through the body as well as it should.
Although medications can relieve symptoms, the disease is incurable and patients suffer from debilitating symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
Atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats irregularly, affects 1.4 million people in the UK and increases the risk of stroke.
In either case, checking that the medication is adequately controlling symptoms is essential to keeping patients healthy and out of hospital.
Professor Dipak Kotecha, from the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Birmingham and lead author of the study, said: ‘This study shows that this new technology has the potential to assess response to treatment and make a positive contribution to routine patient care.’
Professor Kotecha added: ‘Heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation and heart failure are expected to double in prevalence over the next few decades, placing a significant burden on patients and also incurring significant costs for the health system.
“This study is an interesting example of how artificial intelligence can provide new ways to better treat patients.”