Wearable Technology for Cardiology: An Update and Framework for the Future

Abstract

The field of cardiology has long used wearable medical devices to monitor heart rate and rhythm. The past decade has seen the emergence of many new wearable devices, including several that have been widely adopted by both physicians and consumers. In this review, we discuss existing and forthcoming devices designed to measure activity, heart rate, heart rhythm and thoracic fluid. We also offer several frameworks to classify and better understand wearable devices, such that we may weigh their potential benefit in improving healthcare with the many challenges that must be addressed to reap these benefits.