A new study, “Are Wearable ECG Devices Ready for Hospital at Home Application?” published in the journal Sensors (2025), critically examines this question through an extensive narrative review guided by a practical framework: the ABCD criteria - Accuracy, Benefit, Compatibility, and Data governance.
The paper analyzes a wide spectrum of commercial and experimental wearable ECG devices, assessing their capacity to substitute or complement standard 12-lead electrocardiograms used in hospital settings.
Studies reviewed in the paper found that while these devices excel at identifying atrial fibrillation, their detection of ischemic events remains limited, with diagnostic accuracy improving only marginally with asynchronous multi-lead recordings.
Ethical reviews included in the study reveal a mixed picture:
While wearable ECGs could increase patient autonomy and enable earlier stroke prevention through AF detection, their widespread use without robust educational frameworks could undermine the doctor–patient relationship.
False positives and over-reliance on algorithms may lead to anxiety, unnecessary interventions, and even systemic bias.
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