Are smart watches with heart monitoring technology capable of saving lives?

This question needs to be rephrased: monitoring devices can motivate exercise which in the long run can save lives. The timeframe needs to be specified in the questions to produce reliable results.

The sensor resolution is not medical grade, but can provide valuable assessment.

This technology is very good for monitoring patient's cardiac rhythms.

Smart watches are limited in their capabilities to adequately diagnose heart conditions, however they have the potential to show both trends in vital signs over time and detect simple arrhythmias that could lead to a patient seeking medical attention.

Smart watches are able to alert patients but if no knowledge on the use of the device or action is taken by seeking healthcare intervention then the device is useless

Moreso in detection of atrial fibrillation and Ventricular arrhythmias

diagnosing rhythm abnormalities

the most striking example would be atrial fibrillation that can be earlier detected and treated. Other arguments like sending emergency messages after "events" to relatives or doctors may also contribute

Unpredictable results

heart monitoring is a significant contribution to saving lives if reasonably managed.

Smart watches gadtets can detect irregular rhythms, which might be mostly relevant to detect subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF). While this seems feasible and has been proven to be accurate in the diagnosis of AF, there are some challenges that need answering. Namely, whether subclinical AF is a harbinger of the same risk as AF detected in the clinic, and, especially, whether implementing strategies in a rather low-risk unselected population may reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes. As for the last point, we currently lack good predictive tools, especially in patients at seemingly low-risk as per the CHA2DS2-VAsc score.

it depends on the model and algorythm and connectivity to a RPM platform

There are no available data on how these device could save lives

Because level of clothing may not be able to monitor

There is much error, both operational (patient unsure how to operate monitors) and technological (devices dont always produce accurate data).

The diagnosis and duration of afib can be monitored and appropriate decisions made.

In Case of unusual notification, if instructed earlier, smartwatches with heart monitoring abilities will trigger a person for consultation. This may contribute to saving lives.

depend on types of arrythmia

If the watch is able to monitor heart rhythm, then they could be used to flag a person for follow up with their doctor for a possible arrhythmia. This could also be used to look for heart attack and alert the wearer. I don't think the technology is good enough where you could notify 911 of a possible hart attack, but possibly an alert to the wearer or chosen emergency contacts. Technology where it is paired with a ring on the other hand that can get a much better heart rhythm by measuring electrical currents on both hands would be more accurate, but more cumbersome to have to wear two things.

I am a Professor in Health Sciences and have a heart condition and an expensive watch linked to my I phone. Both need charging and have short battery lives. Mostly off line when I need them as there is load shedding in South Africa. Both are locked in a drawer...

I don't have the requisite expertise to participate in this survey.

I think they are not evolved to the point that it can replace instruments that are specifically designed for it.

Smart watches may help detect stress levels, heart rate variability and risk of arrythmias in selec cases (e.g. Oreel, T.H., Delespaul, P., Hartog, I.D. et al. Ecological momentary assessment versus retrospective assessment for measuring change in health-related quality of life following cardiac intervention. J Patient Rep Outcomes 4, 98 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-020-00261-2; an der Krieke L, Emerencia AC, Bos EH, Rosmalen JG, Riese H, Aiello M, Sytema S, de Jonge P. Ecological Momentary Assessments and Automated Time Series Analysis to Promote Tailored Health Care: A Proof-of-Principle Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2015;4(3):e100 doi: 10.2196/resprot.4000; Jean FAM, Sibon I, Husky M, Couffinhal T, Swendsen J. Feasibility and validity of Ecological Momentary Assessment in patients with acute coronary syndrome. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2020 Nov 27;20(1):499. doi: 10.1186/s12872-020-01774-w; Stark K, Czermak T, Massberg S, Orban M. Watch out for ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a case report of ST-elevation in single-lead electrocardiogram tracing of a smartwatch. Eur Heart J Case Rep. 2020 Nov 18;4(6):1-4. doi: 10.1093/ehjcr/ytaa353).

They cannot detect any kind of malfunction but just some

Provide guidance to those with desire and interest in improving their fitness and overall health, in some instances the device may also provide information for their providers to assist in tracking changes in health or fitness levels

It shows vitals throughout the time, and one can monitor them. If the vitals are abnormal, immediate interventions can be made to save the life.

There are anecdotal reports case studies showing that is the case

Information to report a defect otherwise not detected could alert attending physician to a potentially lethal event.

To the extent that the devices are worn properly they can measure key cardio and other physiological activities and with improvements in software and hardware design they have the potential to do this better with time. However, the technologies are not perfect and if the devices are not worn or if they not fit properly they will not measure nor “diagnose” the key parameters needed to evaluate the state of health and whether or not an emergency situation has been encountered and help should be called

Smart watches with heart monitoring technology could identify and warn people at risk and in obvious cases.

If AF detected, it still needs to be confirmed by ECG (12-lead); if confirmed AF, then anticoagulant can prevent thromboembolic stroke, which may be fatal.

They give a readout but the data needs to be taken in context of the overall well-being of the individual.

The electromagnetic activities of 'smart heart monitors' are likely to disturb or damage, to varying degrees, the body's complex electrochemical network of immune neuroplasticity. Depending on several factors (age, individual's health status, extent of exposures and tissue vulnerability toward electromagnetic charges) the extent of tissue damage may vary.

If it can connect to a cell phone, the device can call Emergency service as soon as possible.

Currently, there is an opening in the medical community towards wearable devices for monitoring diverse physiologic functions - most frequently heart rate. Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation (a frequent heart rhythm anomaly that increases the risk of stroke, that oftentimes is silent or asymptomatic) suggest to consider these tools in selected patients to screen the presence of atrial fibrillation and therefore help an early diagnosis. It can be used in selected populations for monitoring exercise-based interventions.
Experimental devices capable of monitoring combined physiological functions have proved in a single study to early identify future decompensation in patients suffering from heart failure, therefore signaling a problem and suggesting to seek medical advice before symptoms get worse. However, there is not enough data to suggest this in the heart failure population, and even less in the general population.

it is will known that promoting behaviour self-monitroing can have impact in promoting health behaviour

Of course, they can be useful in selected cases, but everything in this world is useful only in selected cases. So, I don`t see the differences between these two variants and the direct answer is "yes". Early registration of ECG abnormalities can save vital minutes and, thereby, lives.

Algorithms for heart monitoring developed for clinical devices cannot directly be transferred to wearable devices as data obtained by the latter devices are less reliable. Moreover, algorithms transferred or developed for wearable devices still used clinically-oriented but not health-oriented methodologies to save lives in everyday life (see Davydov, D. M. (2018). Health in medicine: The lost graal. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 111, 22–26).

in case of tachycardia and bradycardia they can always refer themselves to a cardiologist

In patients with atrial fibrillation, probably for other diseases in the future, it can help detect when the problem is active and prompt early intervention

individuals at risk of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias

Scientific evidence from studies.

Detection of some heart conditions is possible, but the integrated system of response is not there yet

If the heart pulse is usually high and the person has arrhythmia, it may alert for a medical intervention

detecting atrial fibrillation and starting anticoagulants

Because the data will not be used in a good way by everybody. People need to know what the data means and if anything is wrong should be able to understand it

Our heart pulse and rates are critical to our active lives. If there are monitors and indicators that could point to changes in it normal rates, then lives could be saved. Wearable devices can be an important aspect in future medicine

Detection of cardiac arrhythmia such as Atrial Fibrillation

Heart rates less than 60 beats per minute or greater than 100 beats per minute would indicate bradycardia or tachycardia and alert the user to see their health care provider for further evaluation. Abnormal rhythms are also detected by the device and this awareness can be life saving

They allow both self monitoring, remote reporting and interact with different sensors to match data

Asystole, tachy/bradycardia, and arrhythmias could all be life-threatening. Applied to millions of users, there will, undoubtably, be lives saved.