[Clinical differential indication : Wearables vs implantables]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology and Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Arrhythmias require electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring for symptomatic or prognostic documentation.
• Monitoring choices depend on arrhythmia frequency, necessitating long-term solutions for events occurring less than monthly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the utility of implantable and wearable devices for ECG monitoring.
• To assess their roles in detecting atrial fibrillation and documenting symptomatic arrhythmias like syncope and palpitations.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of invasive (implantable) and noninvasive (wearable) ECG monitoring strategies.
• Focus on device selection based on arrhythmia occurrence frequency.
• Consideration of continuous vs. discontinuous ECG registration by different device types.

Main Results:

• Implantable devices offer continuous monitoring for frequent arrhythmias.
• Wearable systems, including smartphones, provide accessible, albeit often discontinuous, monitoring for less frequent events.
• Both approaches are relevant for atrial fibrillation detection and symptomatic arrhythmia documentation.

Conclusions:

• Wearable ECG monitoring offers a broadly available option, particularly for infrequent arrhythmias.
• The choice between implantable and wearable ECG monitoring depends on clinical needs and arrhythmia patterns.
• Both technologies are valuable tools in managing cardiac rhythm disorders.