AFib

FibriCheck feature on the DrGo mobile app
By  Adam Ang 02:53 am December 16, 2022
Mobile telemedicine app DrGo by telecommunications provider HKT has released a new atrial fibrillation screening feature. The app has added into its app the a-fib screening technology called FibriCheck by Belgian company Qompium. The technology, which has been cleared in the United States, Australia, and Europe, has sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of more than 90%.  On...
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By  Sky Labs 12:00 am November 28, 2022
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million people worldwide.  The condition poses a five-fold increased risk of stroke, yet is often difficult to detect.  Until now, studies have shown the potential of smart devices for large-scale AFib screening but have made no comparison with conventional screening. However new research presented at the...
A person using a smartwatch.
By  Emily Olsen 10:16 am September 16, 2022
Late last month, Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins University announced they had received about $37 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study a new approach to stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. The funds will support the Rhythm Evaluation for AntiCoagulaTion (REACT-AF) trial, a seven-year study that will provide...
A doctor and a patient looking at information on a tablet.
By  Emily Olsen 12:08 pm July 22, 2022
iRhythm Technologies announced it has received another FDA 510(k) clearance for its ZEUS (Zio ECG Utilization Software) System that works with a wearable to monitor patients with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm.  Developed in partnership with Alphabet life science subsidiary Verily, the ZEUS System is a platform that works with the Zio Watch to detect AFib, characterize the amount...
An Apple Watch and an iPhone displaying the medication tracking feature
By  Emily Olsen 03:34 pm June 6, 2022
Apple revealed a new medication tracking tool and more health-related features at its Worldwide Developers Conference Monday previewing its watchOS 9 and iOS 16. The Medications feature, available on both the Apple Watch and iPhone in the Health app, will allow users to manage their medications, vitamins and supplements. They can use the camera to scan a pill bottle to import information, and set...
By  Laura Lovett 02:48 pm April 11, 2022
This morning Fitbit landed FDA clearance for its long-awaited photoplethysmography atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection algorithm. The algorithm will be part of Fitbit's new Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature, which was designed to alert users of potential AFib.  The technology is able to run passively on Fitbit wearables and assess heart rhythm when a person is sleeping or not moving....
By  Laura Lovett 02:55 pm May 26, 2020
Samsung is the latest wearable company to enter the ECG monitoring space, following an announcement on Sunday that the function on its Health Monitoring app got the greenlight from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.  This means that Galaxy Watch Active2 users in South Korea will be able to use the tool to detect any heart rhythm irregularities, which could be linked to AFib.  It’s no...
By  Dave Muoio 12:45 pm May 6, 2020
Fitbit announced this morning the launch of a new atrial fibrillation research study aiming to enroll hundreds of thousands of fitness-tracker and smartwatch owners. Called the Fitbit Heart Study, it will passively and continuously monitor wearers' heart rates using the devices' photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors. A proprietary algorithm will interpret these readings and flag potential...
By  Dave Muoio 04:22 pm April 1, 2020
Belgium-based FibriCheck, the maker of apps that monitor a user's heart rhythm, announced yesterday that it has developed a new version of its smartwatch offering that is capable of scanning for atrial fibrillation while the wearer is asleep. FibriCheck said in a release that the updated app is currently nearing the end of user testing, and that it will be available for smartwatch manufacturers...
By  Laura Lovett 11:51 am January 28, 2020
This morning digital cardiac health startup Eko announced that its atrial fibrillation and heart murmur detection algorithm landed a 510(k) FDA clearance. The new algorithms are designed to integrate with Eko’s stethoscope, which is already on the market, and be used by healthcare providers.  The company said it plans to add more algorithms in the future. Next up will be an ECG-based algorithm...