Google has reportedly submitted data for a new feature that it plans to add to Fitbit. The said feature would be able to monitor the heart rhythms of the user. The data was given to the Food and Drug Administration for approval.
Fitbit's Heart Rhythms Feature
Fitbit currently can check for irregular heart rhythms periodically, which means that users need to activate the feature on the device and decide to take a reading.
Meanwhile, the new feature that Google plans to add to the device would run in the background and alert users if they are showing signs of a condition called atrial fibrillation, according to The Verge.
This would bring Fitbit's EKG feature closer to the one that Apple Watch has, which checks the user's heart rhythms on occasion and alerts them if it catches any irregularities, according to Engadget.
Also Read: Fitbit is Testing Sleep Animals, a Feature to Help With Your Sleep Pattern
In 2010, Fitbit launched a study to test passive heart rhythm technology. Almost half a million Fitbit users participated in the study, and the feature flagged 1% of the participants, which is only under 5,000 users, as having an irregular heart rhythm.
The data was then presented at the 2021 American Heart Association meeting.
The users were asked to set up a telehealth consultation to get an EKG patch, and around 1,000 people did so. Out of that group, a third had the diagnosis confirmed, giving Fitbit a positive predictive value for atrial fibrillation of 98%.
In Apple Watch's case, atrial fibrillation alert had a positive predictive value of 84% on a similar-sized study.
Tony Faranesh, a research scientist at Fitbit, said that the results are very promising, and they believe that it will have a real impact on early detection and treatment of the condition.
Atrial fibrillation is linked with a higher risk of stroke, and Fitbit hopes is that this type of early detection will help prevent stroke.
But it is still not clear if monitoring for atrial fibrillation through a smartwatch will really keep strokes from happening. Most research focuses on whether the wearable devices are accurate, and not whether using them keeps users healthier in the long run.
Faranesh said there is no clear timeline for when the new heart rhythm might be available on the Fitbit devices.
Fitbit Recalls Ionic Smartwatches
The announcement of the new feature came just weeks after Fitbit voluntarily recalled around 1 million lithium-ion battery smartwatches in the United States due to overheating and burn hazards. The company recalled 700,000 watches worldwide, according to Healthline.
Fitbit discontinued the production of the Ionic smartwatch in 2020, but these smartwatches were being sold at Kohl's, Best Buy, Target, on Amazon, and Fitbit.com from September 2017 to December 2021.
The experts noted that the Fitbit models that you can purchase today are safe to wear while exercising.
Dr. Michael Tiso, a sports medicine physician at Ohio State University, said that the recent reports of overheating in some wearable devices are still rare occurrences.
To prevent potential overheating while charging the device, it is best to keep it out of direct sunlight. While wearing it, you need to remove it immediately if it starts overheating.
In February, Fitbit released a feature that figures out strategies to help you boost your stats.
In 2021, Fitbit added noise and snore detection features.
Related Article: FitBit New Feature Will Measure How Well You Sleep and Track Your Snoring
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Written by Sophie Webster
