[Screening for atrial fibrillation - what to do if the patient presents with atrial fibrillation on a smartwatch ECG?]

MMW Fortschr Med. 2024 Mar;166(4):50-53. doi: 10.1007/s15006-024-3634-8.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Many smartwatches and smartphones can record single lead electrocardiograms. If technically clean, such recordings are diagnostic for atrial fibrillation (AF). The implications of screening-detected AF are incompletely understood. Clinically diagnosed AF typically requires initiation of oral anticoagulation. In recent studies on screening-detected AF, oral anticoagulation did not significantly reduce the risk of stroke. Pending tailored guideline recommendations for screening-detected AF, it appears that unlike for clinical AF, in general anticoagulation should not be started routinely.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Atrial Fibrillation* / complications
  • Atrial Fibrillation* / diagnosis
  • Electrocardiography
  • Humans
  • Patients