Wednesday, September 12, 2018

EKG, ECG, Smartphone


In a recent announcement by Modern Healthcare regarding a smartphone vendor they note:

.... has received FDA clearance for its latest ..., which can now conduct electrocardiograms and deliver alerts if atrial fibrillation is detected. "This is the first ECG product offered over the counter, directly to consumers," ... announcing the ..... "You can now take an ECG anytime, anywhere, right from your wrist." To measure the heart's rhythms, a user presses their finger against a button on the watch. After 30 seconds, the watch delivers a heart rhythm classification, telling the user whether their rhythm is normal or atrial fibrillation. The data are stored in the Health app on the .... (smartphone)  From there, users can share the data in PDFs with their physicians. The watch and heart rhythm alerts fall under the FDA's purview because they provide patients with ECG data.

 Now back in the old days of an EKG, the German based initials, one needed a twelve lead system. However if all you are doing is measuring Afib perhaps a 2 lead may work. Yet in my experience electrical noise from a computer or other similar device easily gets picked up. Then the noise may appear as Afib.

Also many other EKG traces contain a wealth of information that can be obtained only by extensive experience. Every so many years I try to update myself because some of the subtleties you all too soon forget. It is not easy.

Yet one must be cautious in representing certain facts. Personally in my opinion this may still be a bit too early. Just an opinion.