One of the main features of the just announced Fitbit Sense is the ECG monitor, which can detect an abnormal heart rhythm (also known as atrial fibrillation or AF) and give you an early warning that you are suffering from a serious health condition.
The ECG sensor will not be active when the Sense goes on sale later this month, but the company has now received approval for the ECG app from both the FDA in the US and the European Union, meaning the feature will be released in October. will be turned on.
Wearables are often launched with certain sensors disabled pending approval. The SpO2 sensor in the Fitbit Charge 3, Ionic, Versa, Versa Lite and Versa 2 didn’t activate until early 2020, although the Ionic was released in September 2017.
With that in mind, it’s nice to see that Fitbit already has approval for the EKG application. Sense users will therefore not have to wait long after their purchase to be able to use this feature.
Preliminary testing
To meet the requirements of the FDA, Fitbit conducted a clinical study in selected regions to show that the algorithm could accurately detect AF from normal sinus rhythm and generate a recording of the heart’s electrical rhythm that is qualitatively comparable with that of a lead-l ECG.
“Helping people understand and improve their heart health has always been a priority for Fitbit. Our new EKG app is designed for users who want to test themselves on their own and review the measurement with their doctor later,” said Eric Friedman, co-founder of Fitbit and CTO.
“Early detection of AF is critical, and I am very excited that we are making these innovations accessible to people around the world to help them improve their heart health, prevent more serious conditions and potentially save lives.”