Smart watch recording of ventricular tachycardia: Case study

Abstract

Smartphones and connected devices allow patients to monitor their health in a variety of ways. We report the case of a patient presenting to the emergency department complaining of palpitations and syncope. Standard investigations were unremarkable. However, an electrocardiogram recorded through his Apple Watch® indicated ventricular tachycardia. This case highlights the importance of proactively requesting such information from patients, though normal recordings may not preclude cardiac arrhythmia. Controlled clinical studies are needed to validate such practices.

Keywords: Cardiac arrhythmia; Smart watch; Syncope; Ventricular tachycardia.