Apple watch

[Hearty-cuisine]

I’m wondering whether people with heart conditions use an Apple Watch or other fitness watch that measures your heart rate. If so is it helpful? I have AF and my daughter is trying to persuade me to buy one but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. How accurate is it? I’m on heart medication so wonder if that would cause problems as I have a low heart rate. Just wondered if anyone has one and can share their experiences. Thank you.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Devices that measure on the wrist can be inaccurate particularly with conditions like yours. They can be a guide but for accuracy you need a device that measures on the chest.

[Routemaster]

I think that the new Apple watch will be very accurate. Apparently it can even do an ecg for you.

Ann

[Hearty-cuisine in reply to Routemaster]

Thanks for that. I heard that and also heard that it warns of a low heart beat but as I’m on meds to low the heart rate so I’m wondering if I will keep getting a warning.

[benjijen]

I have a fairly basic fitbit. I use it for 'steps' as a guide only and I also use it for pulse. I have actually found pulse to be quite accurate as I always check it when I use my BP machine which also shows pulse. It's usually the same or within 1 point. Be careful only to buy something that has the monitoring you will find useful. Some of these things just have far too much information which isn't relevant to what you want to keep a check on which makes them more complicated and expensive!

[pinnelli]

I have a Garmin I got it mainly to encourage steps when I was initially recovering (I used to cycle over 100 miles per week before HA). But I cecame obsessed for a while with the heart rate, but whilst it can b accurate it’s also very irratic and spikes for no reason causing mild panic in the early days. New Apple Watch may b better at end of day it is certified. I think it’s best to know your own body, that’s what my cardiologist told me. And in retrospect I agree

[Hidden]

Personally found wrist monitors very inaccurate for me (and hand based monitoring like down the gym too) - they can be reasonably ok when at rest, but walking around is about as accurate as my phone telling me I’d climbed 12 flights of stairs when I was sat on a train for 4 hours. I also personally find that if I have access to a monitor constantly it’s on my mind constantly; the best thing for my overall well-being is to keep an spO2 fingertip monitor in the house and only check if I have good reason to believe my hr might be squiffy.

[AlaninSpain]

I have an ICD because of arrhythmia and use a FitBit Charge 2 and find it a total farce, the accuracy is quite good, when it works, but I find that it is not showing anything when I need it most, like walking uphill. I have used a chest strap and they are OK provided that you are sweating as they rely upon that moisture to give the contact. Again I found mine didn't work properly in the winter (not sweating). Also I had a major panic when out with my walking group when the readings were 230+ it was only later that I found that this was caused by a fading battery!

I wear my FitBit in place of a watch as it gives me a bit of 'security'.

[Beffohol]

I have a pacemaker for trifacicular block but am also on medication for a flutter. I wear a Fitbit charge 2 at the mo and find it reassuring as is giving me a record of my episodes to share with cardiologist/go or at my next pacing clinic. Sometimes it is inaccurate as is taking a BPM reading rather than the erratic flutter but it does show rides when I am inactive. The new charge 3 available from October 1st is supposed to be more accurate and does o2 levels. However, the best thing about my charge 2 is that it has got me moving every day, monitoring my sleep, losing weight and enjoying a daily walk.....all of which have simply got to be good for my heart.

[beardy_chris]

I was in hospital and wired up recently so I compared the results with my Fitbit Charge 2. I'm sorry to say they didn't line up very well. On the whole, the Fitbit seemed to give a heart rate reading about 10% lower than the hospital 'box'. I think the Fitbit will reveal trends but it is probably not accurate moment-by-moment. I'm in permanent AF so that might well influence my results. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed.

[CharlesL]

Nooo.

Take care

C

[David-75]

Hi, I had a HA and 5 stents fitted last year at 42. I had a sports watch before (Tom Tom spark 3 cardio and music) and continue to use it now to show that I am gradually warming up and warming down properly/gradually and not exceeding my advised max HR too much for my running, cycling and weights. I must admit to liking all the stats and stuff; but I think the VO2 max information offered by watches is just a calculation and not actual (so not sure how accurate. The HR monitor itself is pretty accurate for me when checked, but I have heard that chest straps are the most accurate - and accuracy results for individuals vary with HR wrist readings and different watches - as other have suggested. Worth checking google for reviews. Yes I have heard about the ecg Apple Watch - it intrigues me being FDA approved, but I am not sure if that is a step too far for me; probably too easy for me to get quite obsessive about the output. Speak to your cardiologist about it. I will be with mine next year in my annual trip. Ps. I know it sounds daft in this context- but I would just like to wear a normal beautiful automatic watch.

[Fazerboy]

Hi, I have a high hr at times which I think might be SVT. I use a garmin cheststrap monitor when cycling and I have a Fitbit Blaze. I wanted the Fitbit to show me if my hr was high when I wasn't cycling. The Fitbit works on light looking at your skin, as do some iphone apps and the fingerpeg type device. I found all these tend to agree with each other. They don't agree with the garmin though when my hr is running too high. In laymans terms I think the light measuring ones measure the pulses of blood through the veins, ie the plumbing side. The garmin strap measures the electrical side, sort of how many sparks per minute. Normally these should be the same but with SVT and I assume with AF then they might be different. I am not a medical expert but I found the Fitbit didn't really help to tell me when my hr was too high. On asking medical people they don't recommend Fitbit type devices for measuring hr but if so only as a general guide.

[Norma27]

I have a series 6 Apple i watch. It is amazingly accurate. It enables me to keep a check on my pulse rate. (Which was the indicator of my HF) But it is important not to become obsessed with your stats. At the start I was doing an ECG and blood oxygen tests regularly but as they were constantly coming back normal I rarely do them now. I look at my pulse rate during exercise and it gives me comfort rather than making me anxious, as I can see it behaving normally. It encourages me to do stress free exercise.