Kardia Band – PMS Instruments

The latest App version 5.0.2 from AliveCor introduces a new premium feature “SmartRhythm” monitoring.

What is SmartRhythm monitoring?

SmartRhythm monitoring from AliveCor is a system that takes heart rate and activity data gathered from an Apple Watch, and evaluates it using a deep neural network to predict heart rate patterns. If heart rate differs from the neural network prediction, SmartRhythm will notify you to record an ECG either on your phone with Kardia Mobile or for convenience and if you have one with the KardiaBand.

Taking frequent ECGs can help you better manage your heart health, and capturing an ECG specifically during times when heart rate does not match activity levels may be useful.

SmartRhythm monitoring uses the Apple Watch Photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor to evaluate heart rate approximately every 5 seconds. Your heart rate itself depends on many factors such as activity, stress, time of day and more. So at times your heart rate pattern should be high (during exercise), sometimes, it should be low (at rest) and sometimes it may signify a heart problem.

Patented AliveCor SmartRhythm monitoring technology uses an autoregressive, deep neural network that can learn the normal relationship between heart rate and activity, and notify you when it sees an unexpected pattern. It notifies you when the actual data from the Apple Watch doesn’t match what the SmartRhythm model expects to see.

Receiving a SmartRhythm notification does not necessarily mean that something is wrong. There are many perfectly normal situations that can cause a SmartRhythm notification, including exercise the Apple Watch can’t detect, stress or anxiety, consumption of caffeine or alcohol, and even motion artifact from wearing the watch band too loosely.

Conversely, not getting a SmartRhythm notification does not necessarily mean that everything is normal, since the Apple Watch sensor is only measuring your heart rate and does not capture the full complexity of your heart. SmartRhythm monitoring should be used as an additional means to capture frequent ECGs.

Does SmartRhythm monitoring affect Apple Watch battery life?

Yes. SmartRhythm causes a higher battery usage and you will need to charge your Apple Watch more frequently. This is because SmartRhythm requires the Apple Watch to be in Workout mode as it is evaluating heart rate data continually which increases battery usage.

AliveCor internal testing has shown that with a series 2 or newer watch you can expect around 16 hours of battery life. It can still be worn over night just top up the charge for an hour or so.

The first generation Apple Watch is not supported because it has a smaller battery and will only last 5 hours.

What’s Next?

Kardia for Apple Watch is just the first step in bridging the gap between consumer wearable devices and the science of clinically validated ECG healthcare devices.

The availability of a wearable, mobile ECG device like the Kardia has the potential to dramatically improve early detection of arrhythmias. Many arrhythmias start as occasional, intermittent problems that usually don’t show up in a doctor’s office and are notoriously difficult to diagnose.

AliveCor products including the Kardia Mobile and Kardia Band are available directly from UK Distributor PMS Instruments.

AliveCor®, KardiaBand™ and SmartRhythm™ are trademarks of AliveCor, Inc. Apple Watch® is a trademark of Apple Inc.

It’s not hard to get excited about the difference that innovations like the AliveCor Kardia mobile and Kardia Band ECG Watch could make to the NHS and its patients.

Both devices bring low cost wearable medtech to the NHS and capture medical grade ECG recordings using algorithms to monitor and manage heart arrhythmias. They can automatically detect atrial fibrillation (AF) which if undiagnosed can lead to strokes.

In the UK strokes kill 100,000 a year. Each one is estimated to cost the NHS between £9,500 and £14,000.

The financial impact of Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the most common type of arrhythmia, becomes more apparent when considering the cost to the UK economy as a whole which has been estimated to be £2.4 million.

That’s apart from the human impact strokes have on patients quality of life and their carers. Early detection then is crucial.

So how does the NHS currently identify these at risk patients?

As a busy GP at the moment when patients visit you, depending on their age and medical profile they may receive a simple manual pulse check. If you have time you count their pulse over 60 seconds. If you don’t you count to 30 and multiple the figure by 2!

The problem with a manual pulse check is that it remains a ‘one off’ check. An assessment of an irregular heart rhythm with this method is a snap shot in time and in part relies on chance to identify at risk patients, especially those with asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Depending on the result you may or may not then refer to secondary care for a 24 hour or 7 day Holter ECG to confirm the findings. The CCG will remind you there is a cost for this oh and probably a waiting list!

The existing pathway takes the time and resources of both you, your patients and the NHS.

What can AliveCor technology and innovation do to help?

The AliveCor Kardia Mobile and Kardia Band ECG devices offers huge benefits in early diagnosis of AF as they allow simple validated, quantitative and qualitative assessment of a patient’s ECG and heart health using a smart phone App.

With AliveCor ECG technology patients can record a 30 second medical grade ECG unobtrusively at any time helping reduce appointment times and detect AF.

At a time when Primary Care resources are under real pressure it means less time and money is wasted on nurse appointments, resources and follow ups for the NHS and patients.

It also means the anxiety some patients feel about their condition can be removed and they can take a proactive role in their heart health.

The wider adoption of AliveCor technology by the NHS and Primary Care will be a big step forward. It’s one to watch for sure.

The AliveCor Kardia Mobile costs £94.99 and the Kardia Band for the Apple Watch costs £226. Buy both from our web site.