Researchers from the University of Birmingham in England led the study, which was designed to test therapy options for 160 patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. Fifty-three participants of that larger study enrolled in a simultaneous substudy, on which the July 15 article analysis is based.
Participants in the substudy were provided wearable technology to track their heart rates and physical activity intervals over a 20-week period. The mean age of participants was 75.6 years old and 40% of the participants were women.
Data from the wearable devices was comparable to results found by electrocardiograms or six-minute walk tests, leading researchers to suggest wearable technology could be an alternative to multiple in-person clinical visits, the study said.
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