How accurate is your smart watch ECG? Doctor's analysis of the wearable tech and the evidence

Most smart watches now, from the Apple Watch to the Samsung Galaxy Watch, can perform an ECG but are they accurate? What can they actually be used for? Might a watch one day tell us if we’re having a heart attack?

In this video, we’ll look at how companies are using smart watch based ECG and whether the evidence shows that they’re accurate. We’ll separate the fact from the fiction and ask why an accurate ECG on your Galaxy or Apple watch is a good thing. Finally, we’ll look at some of the heart conditions that a smart watch ECG could be used to accurately detect in the future including the big one: heart attacks.

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Also, if you’re wondering what other digital solutions are out there to help with your overall heart health, check out this review of heart health apps, including Fibricheck and Kardia, two big players using accurate, phone based ECG to diagnose disease sooner:

   • Kardia, FibriCheck and Fitbit - Heart heal...  

0:00:00 - Intro
0:00:13 - What is a smart watch ECG?
0:01:29 - Irregular heart rhythm and a smart watch ECG
0:02:39 - Is a smart watch ECG accurate?
0:03:34 - Continuous smart watch ECG monitoring
0:04:49 - What else can a smart watch ECG accurately detect?
0:05:43 - Could my watch tell me if I’m having a heat attack?
0:06:31 - Improving the accuracy of a smart watch ECG
0:07:28 - Round Up: how accurate is your smart watch ECG?


My name is Dr Tom Micklewright, a Medical Doctor and Digital Health Specialist working in the NHS in the UK. Although I use the Fitbit Sense as part of this video, I have not received any financial compensation from Fitbit, so this is an independent video.

I am also an employee at ORCHA,the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps, but this review was conducted independently of ORCHA, with full creative control retained by me, as author of this review.

Thank you to Conolan, F1 Digitals, Coverr-free-footage and Photikus who provided some of the stock video footage for free via Pixabay.com