Wearable devices make monitoring heart health easier than ever, and demand for these products is increasing, giving consumers an array of options. Now anyone — from fitness enthusiasts to those managing serious heart conditions — can collect data, screen for disease and improve overall wellness.

“There have been tremendous changes in the technology available; it seems like it happened almost overnight,” says Dr. Brian Lé, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist with Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice in Dallas. “The digital health space is transforming so rapidly. There has been massive interest and an influx of companies who want to be a part of it.”

These health-monitoring products and the improved information delivered from them show great potential. Medical studies on their effectiveness are still emerging, but Dr. Lé points out that the benefits and reliability have gotten good enough that doctors are noticing.

“Before, doctors were sometimes dismissive of the data patients would get from these devices,” he says. “Now I wouldn’t dismiss the data as I would have five years ago.”

What’s Available?

The wearable technologies market spans a range of items. These devices, known as smartwear, digital health care, health gadgets and more, are worn close to the skin to allow for the monitoring of physical activities and behaviors. Most generate data through sensors and send it to your smartphone or app where it can be stored and analyzed by you and, if needed, your health care team.

Dr. Lé says wearable technologies generally fall into three categories:

• General-population items: These are consumer-friendly devices that are readily available in stores or online. A big part of this segment includes smartwatches and fitness trackers. Other items include chest straps, rings and armbands.
• Medical-grade models: Although similar to the general-population items, these are physician prescribed. They usually contain more features or offer direct transmission of data so health care workers can monitor patients.
• Implantable devices: These are reserved for heart patients needing to control serious ailments, Dr. Lé explains, and include pacemakers, defibrillators and loop recorders that are surgically implanted.

What Do They Do?

You may reach for wearable technologies to help with your sports performance, manage a health condition and/or monitor bodily changes. With so many options available, one place to start is to determine the features needed, Dr. Lé says.

Different wearable technologies are equipped to:

• Monitor motion and encourage a less sedentary lifestyle.
• Track activity, such as steps and calories burned.
• Identify falls, which is helpful for seniors or those prone to seizures.
• Detect movement patterns, such as gait during walking or running. This can identify unique movements, diagnose issues causing pain and discover treatments to correct problems.
• Collect biometric data, such as electrocardiography (ECG) that tracks the electrical function of the heart and heart rate variability (HRV), which is the variation in the time between heart beats.

“There’s a device for everyone,” he adds. “This ranges from people without any health problems to people who want to lose weight and track their steps and calories to people who have a heart abnormality.”

The focus on cardiovascular health monitoring is important because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association. Checking vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature provide important clues about overall wellness. People with medical problems, such as atrial fibrillation (also called AFib), may get peace of mind from using a wearable device to monitor their irregular heart rhythm. 

One perk of these smart devices is the creation of more real-world data that assesses a patient outside of a clinical environment. Another plus, Lé says, is you don’t need to rely on your memory or writing down the data because it’s often saved automatically. 

Multiple Benefits

Lé sees benefits from people taking an increased interest in their own health through wearable technologies. “Consumers are more knowledgeable about their own performances, and people want to know more about how to monitor their conditions. This technology is getting better and better, which is also exciting for doctors.”

Some of those benefits include allowing health care workers to intervene earlier if a problem arises, improving the cost efficiency of health care and increasing patient engagement.

“The more you understand your own body and what health signs to monitor leads to increased compliance,” Dr. Lé says.

Another group finding benefit from these products are seniors who are becoming more comfortable using technology in their daily lives. The interest in these devices is also increased by the boost in virtual health care visits brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The biggest rejection people have of telehealth is that the physician isn’t physically there to examine them,” Dr. Lé admits. “Now, there are tech options where the monitoring devices allow the patients at home to feel like they’re in the office.”

For some people, he says, there may still be fears about how their data is protected and how to separate actionable data from unimportant information but he thinks the benefits outweigh any potential negatives. “The landscape is so bright. The sky’s the limit in terms of advancements that can improve your health. There are things being developed that we used to only dream about.”

While wearable technologies are effective tools, Dr. Lé says they still should not replace regular medical checkups with a health care professional.

“As a doctor I don’t just treat the numbers, I treat the patient,” he notes. “The data is great, but sometimes we need to exclude the noise and remember we’re treating a human being.”

Learn more about wearable technologies and how they might be an added benefit to your heart-healthy lifestyle and find a heart and vascular specialist today.

Texas Health Physicians Group providers are employed by Texas Health Physicians Group and are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.