Overview
- UMC Amsterdam researchers tracked 437 people aged 65 and older at elevated stroke risk over six months in a randomized comparison of smartwatch screening versus standard care.
- Participants assigned to wear consumer smartwatches for at least 12 hours daily had 21 confirmed atrial fibrillation diagnoses versus five in the control group.
- About 57% of atrial fibrillation cases detected via smartwatch screening were asymptomatic, suggesting many would not have been identified through routine care.
- Devices used optical pulse monitoring (PPG) to flag irregular rhythms and relied on single‑lead ECG tracings and clinical assessment for diagnostic confirmation.
- Of 72 smartwatch alerts, only about half were true atrial fibrillation, and authors say anticipated stroke prevention benefits remain unproven despite early detection.