The Wall Street Journal reports on the rise of wearable health monitors, which presents consumers with the challenge of knowing which apps are effective. The piece notes the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Apple watch’s ECG app and irregular-rhythm notification feature, but stated the apps aren’t intended to replace traditional diagnosis methods. Another FDA-approved device, the KardiaBand watchband, also offers ECG capabilities and was most effective in detecting a-fib when physicians looked at the results, rather than relying only on an algorithm. The Journal discusses the FDA’s role in the device approvals and the industry’s goals for different types of technology such as glucose monitors and blood pressure trackers.
Some physicians concerned about Apple Watch’s heart-tracking feature. The Washington Post reported, “The newest Apple Watch can now flag potential problems with your heartbeat – a feature that has been cleared by the” FDA “and that Apple is marking as a major achievement.” However, some physicians “said that including heart-monitoring tools in such a popular consumer product could trigger unnecessary anxiety and medical visits.” Additionally, “there is…concern that widespread use of electrocardiograms without an equally broad education initiative could burden an already taxed health-care system.”
From the news release of the American Association for Justice.
Photo courtesy cnet.com.
