Accuracy of Heart Rate Monitoring by Some Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers
Authors: Jasmine Singh, Dean F. Sittig
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2017)

Letters17 October 2017Accuracy of Heart Rate Monitoring by Some Wrist-Worn Activity TrackersJasmine Singh and Dean F. Sittig, PhDJasmine SinghFrom Carnegie Vanguard High School and Memorial Hermann Center for Healthcare Quality and Safety and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas. and Dean F. Sittig, PhDFrom Carnegie Vanguard High School and Memorial Hermann Center for Healthcare Quality and Safety and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L17-0379 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Cadmus-Bertram and colleagues' study (1) suggests that some wrist-worn activity trackers perform similarly to electrocardiography at rest but that none was as accurate as electrocardiography during moderate exercise (1). We agree that additional research is needed before these monitoring devices can be deemed useful for clinical advice or trials. In fact, most consumers are probably unaware of potential inaccuracies and may experience health risks related to under- or overexercise. On the basis of our recent experiment for an Advanced Placement high school research project (Singh J. Unpublished data.), we would like to highlight the additional need for ...References1. Cadmus-Bertram L, Gangnon R, Wirkus EJ, Thraen-Borowski KM, Gorzelitz-Liebhauser J. The accuracy of heart rate monitoring by some wrist-worn activity trackers. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166:610-2. [PMID: 28395305]. doi:10.7326/L16-0353 LinkGoogle Scholar2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Center for Devices and Radiological Health. General wellness: policy for low risk devices. Guidance for industry and Food and Drug Administration staff. 29 July 2016. Accessed at www.fda.gov/downloads/medicaldevices/deviceregulationandguidance/guidancedocuments/ucm429674.pdf on 22 June 2017. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Carnegie Vanguard High School and Memorial Hermann Center for Healthcare Quality and Safety and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L17-0379. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Accuracy of Heart Rate Monitoring by Some Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers Lisa Cadmus-Bertram , Ronald Gangnon , Emily J. Wirkus , Keith M. Thraen-Borowski , and Jessica Gorzelitz-Liebhauser Accuracy of Heart Rate Monitoring by Some Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers Lisa Cadmus-Bertram , Ronald Gangnon , Emily J. Wirkus , Keith M. Thraen-Borowski , and Jessica Gorzelitz-Liebhauser Metrics 17 October 2017Volume 167, Issue 8Page: 607KeywordsClinical trialsConflicts of interestDisclosureElectrocardiographyExerciseHeart rateLongitudinal studiesPhysical fitnessRunningWalking ePublished: 17 October 2017 Issue Published: 17 October 2017 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2017 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...