Future Fitbit devices will be better at detecting atrial fibrillation

These days, it’s not uncommon to see smartwatches come with the ability to check for AFib, which is basically where your heart beats irregularly which could be a sign that something is wrong.

The problem with this feature is that users need to check for it manually, which means that it is possible that asymptomatic cases might go unnoticed. The good news for Fitbit owners is that Google has announced that the FDA has recently cleared the company’s new algorithm that will allow for continuous monitoring of the heart rate. According to Google:

“Our new PPG AFib algorithm can passively assess your heart rhythm in the background while you’re still or asleep. If there’s anything that might be suggestive of AFib, you’ll be notified through our Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications feature — allowing you to talk with your healthcare provider or seek further assessment to help prevent a significant medical event, such as stroke.”

This means that instead of users manually checking themselves every now and then, the new algorithm will be able to run throughout the day and night, even when you’re sleeping (as long as you wear your smartwatch to bed), and record data, so that even when you don’t check yourself for AFib, it will still be able to detect and alert users to anything irregular.

Google expects to roll out this feature soon but they stopped short of mentioning which devices exactly will be eligible to take advantage of this new feature.

Source: Google