Smartphones and wearable technology: benefits and concerns in cardiology

The global expansion of wearable technology combined with smartphone access creates new questions and opportunities in the diagnosis and management of cardiac conditions

Wearable devices along with smartphone technology are becoming more common in developed nations such as Australia, with the number of connected devices expected to increase from 526 million in 2017 to over 1.1 billion worldwide in 2022.1 This new source of health information has led to novel methods of patient assessment, such as a single‐lead electrocardiograph (ECG) creating a pre‐presentation observation chart. This creates a paradigm shift where instead of symptomatic patients being referred for cardiac assessment, asymptomatic patients are now presenting with health data. In this article, we discuss the technology behind the devices, common brands and formats, potential applications, and advantages and disadvantages of wearable devices.