Mayo Clinic is developing an algorithm that uses Apple Watch’s electrocardiograms (ECGs) to determine if a person’s heart is not pumping blood optimally, according to StatNews.
The study, which was presented at the annual conference of the Heart Rhythm Society in San Francisco on Sunday, May 1, found that the algorithm correctly diagnoses weak heart pumps in a small number of individuals in the study.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have updated a regular 12-lead ECG algorithm to interpret single-lead ECG data on an Apple Watch. “This demonstrates that you can design studies to investigate the usefulness of single-derivative (ECG) devices such as the Apple Watch for clinical problems, and researchers should be commended for this. This should be seen as a first step, but it is by no means ready for prime time, “said Colin Stulz, a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham in Boston.
The clinic is currently working on polishing the algorithm, working on a study of one million people, which will test various algorithms for cardiac function. Its purpose is to detect heart problems in people at an earlier stage and to prevent the problem from getting worse.
“If you’re a person with high blood pressure and diabetes and you’re over 60, you may have a weak heart pump and not know it,” said Paul Friedman, head of the study. “You may not visit your doctor too often, but the watch you buy in the store may tell you that there is an important signal that needs to be checked.
Source: StatNews
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