Surprising predictions part 4

 Can Your Fitbit Help Your Doctor Treat Your Heart Condition?

A new study finds that some Fitbit models can be used to help monitor atrial fibrillation, which affects about 2 million Americans annually. The condition causes irregular heartbeats and increases the risk of stroke, and it’s often managed through medications or implantable devices that send electrical impulses to the heart’s rhythm center. However, many people don’t take their meds as prescribed and report other problems with these devices.

How does fitness tracking help doctors treat heart conditions?

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that a customized, personalized exercise plan improved heart function and significantly reduced symptoms in patients who have coronary artery disease. More than one third of people with coronary artery disease report persistent chest pain and at least three fifths say their physical limitations interfere with day-to-day activities. Meanwhile, prescribed medical treatments for this condition are limited to lifestyle changes and drugs like aspirin or beta blockers—and none address underlying cardiovascular problems. Consequently, health care providers often recommend this particular population increase their physical activity levels as an integral part of treatment strategy for cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease. In the past, it was difficult for doctors to know what kind of exercises would be best suited for each individual. Nowadays however, thanks to new technologies including GPS-enabled fitness trackers, doctors can easily understand what kinds of exercises will work best for different individuals depending on where they live and their age and fitness level. And while there are other apps out there that use similar technology, experts believe these tools might be even more beneficial because they’re specifically designed with cardiovascular diseases in mind. The information generated by these apps can also help improve patient compliance rates by providing them with tailor-made goals and schedules according to their specific needs (e.g., stretching). What’s more, since these types of programs only need access to your smartphone or tablet, they don’t require any additional hardware or equipment like a treadmill. So if you want to get back into shape but don’t have time to stop by the gym, try downloading one of these apps today! Fitness tracking devices like Fitbits provide vital information about our daily lives, helping doctors find new ways to treat patients. If you want to get back into shape but don’t have time to stop by the gym, try downloading one of these apps today! Fitness tracking devices like Fitbits provide vital information about our daily lives, helping doctors find new ways to treat patients. When we're having trouble breathing during sleep, our doctor may prescribe us a machine called CPAP which helps keep airways open while we sleep. But when CPAP is not enough, doctors may recommend that some of us receive surgery called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy; which involves placing long tubes through the nose and into the throat to deliver pressurized air through nasal masks worn during sleep. If you experience difficulty breathing during sleep or feel fatigue after waking up, consult your doctor for diagnosis and possible treatment options. A few of the common factors that contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) include genetics, environmental and occupational exposures, cigarette smoking, and family history. Doctors typically identify COPD through spirometry tests and lung function tests, among others. The first stage of COPD is considered mild - which means its effects should be felt only mildly with normal activity. Patients with mild COPD should consider getting their weight under control and quitting smoking. People with moderate COPD should consider taking medications like bronchodilators or corticosteroids to reduce the severity of the condition. Moderate COPD patients should also take precautions to avoid triggers that can worsen the condition, like tobacco smoke. It’s recommended that all COPD patients see their physician regularly for routine checkups and follow-up visits. Diagnosis and treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are based on the severity of the condition. Mild COPD patients should see their physician for a follow-up visit every year or two years, but those with more severe cases of COPD should be seen annually or as needed. The main goal of treating COPD is to reduce airflow obstruction while avoiding potential complications like infection, cor pulmonale (an enlarged right ventricle in the heart), pneumonia, and respiratory failure.

How did doctors use the data in their patient's activity records to come up with better ways to treat them?

When these doctors saw their patients' physical activity levels, they knew that one of the first things they could do was to encourage them to be more active. They reached out to the patients and shared their concern about their inactive lifestyles. They explained that being inactive could lead to other serious conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis and that being active would help protect against these diseases. In addition, with an increased amount of physical activity, weight can be lost and when a person loses weight it can make it easier for a person with high blood pressure or diabetes to manage those conditions. The doctors encouraged their patients to take on new activities like walking, hiking, gardening and biking. To make it even easier for them to be active outside of work hours, the doctors created specific exercise routines that can be done indoors without any equipment. The response from the patients has been extremely positive: they felt much less anxious than before because now they had something concrete they could do to get healthier in addition to dietary changes such as eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. Within six weeks time all three individuals were experiencing improvements in their condition including better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels and improved moods. They also reported feeling much less anxiety because they now had something concrete they could do to get healthier beyond dietary changes like eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. Within six weeks time all three individuals were experiencing improvements in their condition including better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels and improved moods. They also reported feeling much less anxiety because they now had something concrete they could do to get healthier beyond dietary changes like eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. The responses from the patients have been extremely positive: they felt much less anxious than before because now they had something concrete they could do to get healthier in addition to dietary changes such as eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. Within six weeks time all three individuals were experiencing improvements in their condition including better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels and improved moods. They also reported feeling much less anxiety because they now had something concrete they could do to get healthier beyond dietary changes like eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. The responses from the patients have been extremely positive: they felt much less anxious than before because now they had something concrete they could do to get healthier in addition to dietary changes such as eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. Within six weeks time all three individuals were experiencing improvements in their condition including better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels and improved moods. They also reported feeling much less anxiety because they now had something concrete they could do to get healthier beyond dietary changes like eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. They also reported feeling much less anxiety because they now had something concrete they could do to get healthier beyond dietary changes like eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. The responses from the patients have been extremely positive: they felt much less anxious than before because now they had something concrete they could do to get healthier in addition to dietary changes such as eating fewer calories and carbohydrates. They started exercising at home by following the exercises prescribed by their doctor which included 10 minutes of arm movements (lunge, bicep curl), 10 minutes of leg movements (squat, calf raise) and 10 minutes of stretching. Within six weeks time all three individuals were experiencing improvements in their condition including better sleep quality, lower cholesterol levels and improved moods.

What other health conditions can wearable technology devices like Fitbits help doctors diagnose or treat?

Wearable technology devices, like the Fitbit or Apple Watch, can help doctors diagnose or treat a wide range of health conditions. One of the most notable examples is being able to track if someone has atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk for stroke and other cardiovascular events. The heart starts quivering (atrial fibrillation) instead of pumping blood smoothly around the body. To confirm an atrial fibrillation diagnosis, doctors will typically order an electrocardiogram test or ECG. With an ECG, electrodes are placed on the chest and electrical signals are recorded as they move through different parts of the heart. Doctors then use these signals to determine if someone has atrial fibrillation by looking for irregular patterns that may indicate it. Most people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms, but some people experience palpitations, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and fatigue. As many as three million Americans don’t know they have this condition. But now there’s wearable technology that lets you monitor your own heartbeat and send alerts when something seems off so you can get checked out. If your doctor thinks you might be experiencing atrial fibrillation, he/she might recommend wearing a continuous ECG monitor for up to 24 hours straight. The device looks like a watch and collects data every second of the day. It transmits information wirelessly via Bluetooth to software on your phone or tablet where you can see any abnormalities in real time without disturbing your routine while wearing it