Smartwatches to monitor heart health

These gadgets make it easier to track heart health, and encourage you to make healthier lifestyle decisions.

When it comes to matters of the heart, keeping an eye out for small signs and symptoms is of paramount importance. Sometimes, spotting a minor fluctuation can prevent a major cardiac event from occuring. Along with regular check-ups by your medical practitioner and cardiologist, a small gadget like a smartwatch can help monitor such fluctuations and other developments, and also remind you to take medications on time should your phone be elsewhere. They help make health more visible to an individual with their digital biomarkers, and also enable you to amp up your physical exercise quotient for the week, which is an important step in preventing heart diseases. Having this information and being able to understand what it means is an empowering step for anyone, and gives them more control over their own health. An added advantage is that a lot of smartwatches help connect with an emergency contact, saving valuable time in the case of falls or other situations. So, we’ve curated a handy list to help you find a smartwatch that counts more than just steps.

Apple Watch Series 6
While Apple Watches are continuously upgraded, the latest addition is dedicated to tracking heart health. By monitoring your heart rate, it can detect arrhythmias or abnormal heart rates, and alert the wearer to possible heart conditions like atrial fibrillation. Going one step further, the Series 6 also measures blood oxygen levels through LEDs and infrared light and can generate an EKG, which can then be sent to your cardiologist. All of these biomarkers go hand-in-hand with Apple’s dedication to fitness, so you can rest assured that the watch will remind you to complete a recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

Samsung Galaxy Watch3
A large, clean dial makes it much easier to read what’s on the screen, and this watch also comes with the ability to measure blood oxygen levels. It has an in-built accelerometer, so the wearable device can detect falls and will immediately notify the wearer’s emergency contact, along with sharing their location. Samsung is also rolling out an update across countries that will enable the watch to measure blood pressure and offer a more concerted insight into one’s health.

Garmin Vivosmart 4
What makes this selection unique is that it tackles stress head on. Equipped with a stress monitor that measures the interval between heartbeats, it takes the wearer through simple breathing routines in stressful situations, allowing them to relax and calm themselves. The watch also alerts the wearer if their heart rate goes above a certain rate, which can serve as a prompt to consult a professional, especially if the wearer has underlying heart issues. If you’re trying to be more physically active, the watch tracks your activity and energy stats, and lets you know what time is optimal for you to do so.

Fitbit Versa 2
The basics remain supreme in this watch that offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and a seven-day battery life. With a broad dial, it can also guide you through exercise routines, thereby prompting you to challenge yourself physically. The watch tracks sleep cycles as well, so for those who struggle to fall asleep, the data can be key in ensuring a good night’s rest, which is vital for heart and all-round health.

It’s important to note that while all these smartwatches do go above and beyond to keep the wearer as healthy as possible, they cannot be fully relied upon to detect heart attacks, strokes, or any other conditions. They can serve as an additional line of defence, but it’s important to convey all symptoms to your doctor and get regular health check-ups. Another aspect to keep in mind is that it can be overwhelming for an elderly person to figure out new technology, so patience is key.

At Seva At Home, we produce a wealth of free health information to help elders live healthier, happier lives. This has been produced by independent research carried out by the Seva At Home team. This information is not a replacement for medical advice. Please consult your physician for relevant medical diagnosis and advice.

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