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Review
. 2022 Jul 1;49(4):e227845.
doi: 10.14503/THIJ-22-7845.

Using the Apple Watch to Record Multiple-Lead Electrocardiograms in Detecting Myocardial Infarction: Where Are We Now?

Ke Li  1 , Abdelmotagaly Elgalad  1 , Cristiano Cardoso  1 , Emerson C Perin  2
Affiliations
Review

Using the Apple Watch to Record Multiple-Lead Electrocardiograms in Detecting Myocardial Infarction: Where Are We Now?

Ke Li et al. Tex Heart Inst J. .

Abstract

Although the outcome after myocardial infarction depends on the time to treatment, a delay between symptom onset and treatment is common. Apple Watch, a popular wearable device, provides the ability to perform an electrocardiogram. We review the progress made in using the Apple Watch to record multiple electrocardiogram leads for diagnosing myocardial infarction. Although the data are encouraging, many limitations remain, and more research is needed. Nevertheless, the Apple Watch could eventually serve as a self-check tool for patients who have chest pains or other symptoms of myocardial infarction, thus substantially decreasing the time to treatment and improving the outcome after myocardial infarction.

Keywords: Apple Watch; echocardiography/diagnosis; heart attack; myocardial infarction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest disclosures: None

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Illustration shows the Einthoven triangle and how to use the Apple Watch to record leads I through III. From Behzadi A, Sepehri Shamloo A, Mouratis K, Hindricks G, Arya A, Bollmann A. Feasibility and reliability of smartwatch to obtain 3-lead electrocardiogram recordings. Sensors (Basel) 2020;20(18):5074. Used under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Photographs show how to position the Apple Watch for obtaining precordial electrocardiograms. The precordial leads are recorded as CR1 through CR6, corresponding, respectively, to the locations of V1 (4th intercostal space right parasternal), V2 (4th intercostal space left parasternal), V3 (between V2 and V4), V4 (5th intercostal space midclavicular line), V5 (5th intercostal space anterior axillary line), and V6 (5th intercostal space midaxillary line). From Spaccarotella CAM, Polimeni A, Migliarino S, Principe E, Curcio A, Mongiardo A, et al. Multichannel electrocardiograms obtained by a smartwatch for the diagnosis of ST-segment changes. JAMA Cardiol 2020;5(10):1176-80. Used under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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