ECG funktion

9970217 said:

maybe I just want ECG because Apple, Samsung, etc all have ECG

Which is pretty much the rationale behind most people's wants in general. 'Someone else has. I want it too.' Never mind if it has any specific utility for any individual.

And it is often recommended to use a chest strap for more accurate HR measurements, since the wrist measurements are not as accurate...

And still they lack of about million function which Garmin have and they don't. Lol

I dont see the ecg as usefull - i dont believe a watch is able to get accurate readings since it takes a 12-lead, ( 12 electrodes ) in an ECG test to get accurate results. Ive read  people have been diagnosed after wearing the Apple, but almost 85% are false positives. The last 15% must have had really abnormal arrhythmia. And remember, it can only (rarely) detect afib and nothing else. Theres lots and Lots of different abormal arrhythmias  including ( pvc, pac, long qt syndrome, brugada, wolf parkinson white, VT-tachs etc) - So  Its a Cinderella story if the watch ACTUALLY detects afib and apple loves it. But the most common thing is a false positive. 

Fitbit saved a mans life last year, without an ecg. His heart rate never went below 110 for several weeks - turns out he had progressive heart failure.

If you want to get your heart checked, just get a real ECG test.  or buy a Chest-strap that supports ECG function - it Will never be as great or as accurate at All than the real deal but atleast it has 2 electrodes sitting on your chest (your actual heart),.. not on the wrist nor fingertips

This idea that smart watch ecgs are useless has got to stop.

www.news18.com/.../apple-watch-calls-911-saves-us-mans-life-who-fell-off-his-bike-4743932.html

That is nothing todo with ECG that is collision detection something most smart watches inc Garmin have.

Its a many years old Feature My fenix 5 had it circa 2018.

If you want to do an ECG you need a Polar H10 - most HR straps do not support ECG functionality.

You won’t get ECG from any heart rate strap. You’re getting confused with HRV. 

philipshambrook said:

You won’t get ECG from any heart rate strap. You’re getting confused with HRV. 

Bold claim - and incorrect

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mattimononen.ecglogger&hl=en_GB&gl=US

I am not confused. Somebody is though ;)

Agree with the sentiment that these aren't needed or useful. Anyone with actual medical training knows how often the automated software even on a 12 lead EKG alerts you to spurious or non clinically relevant abnormalities. It needs to be interpreted carefully.

The minimum amount of leads required in hospital is usually 4 or 5 to get something really useful. The reason is the electrical activity in the heart has to be "looked at" from different angles to give a really accurate picture. Giving people EKGs from one lead on their wrist is just causing a lot of panic in otherwise healthy people. I'd say something like a watch-EKG is only MAYBE useful in someone with a documented history of dangerous dysrhythmias. Even then, many of these people know when they are in a dangerous rhythm without a watch telling them (because they can feel their heart racing etc etc) and they subsequently show up in the ED.

It's very normal for athletes to have benign arrhythmias like sinus arrhythmia or sinus arrest or ectopic beats like PVCs. You can feel these by taking a carotid pulse. You can also feel afib this way. And the people having them can very often feel them as palpitations in their chests. Again, these watch EKGs don't really give either health care providers or lay people anything more useful than you can get by taking a pulse and going "oh, that's an irregular rhythm."

This push by Apple and Samsung to get everyone doing EKGs at home is a cynical way to prey on people's fears about their health and sell watches.