Smart watches and health trackers are increasingly popular accessories among consumers due to their increasingly affordable sales prices. It comes with various features that allow the wearer to track the pulse level, oxygen concentration in the blood, track steps and detect heart problems But recent studies have found that these two devices for health purposes can have a negative impact on the wearer's health.
Bioimpedance systems used by smart watches and health trackers to measure various body data can interfere with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Among those affected are pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (IDCs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices.
This is because the bioimpedance system channels electric current into the body when measuring the amount of fat in the body for example. This electric current, although undetectable by the user, exceeds the limit set by the FDA to avoid interference with the CIED device. The same risk applies when using smart rings and smart scales.
The brands of smartwatches and health trackers tested were not disclosed but were from the three biggest manufacturers on the market. The jury also recommended that more research be done to see the real impact of bioimpedance systems on CIED device users. The research paper was published in the Heart Rhythm Journal.