Key result
Instant ECG feedback linked to reduced anxiety and improved HRQOL in women with palpitations.
Why the study?
Palpitations in women may cause anxiety, depression, and reduced HRQOL, but whether direct feedback of the underlying heart rhythm during palpitations alleviates these symptoms was unclear.
Does instant electrocardiogram feedback reduce anxiety and depression and improve health-related quality of life in women with symptomatic palpitations?
Observational (n=821)
Does instant electrocardiogram feedback reduce anxiety and depression and improve health-related quality of life in women with symptomatic palpitations?
Instant ECG feedback during palpitations significantly reduces anxiety and depression and improves health-related quality of life in women.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support handheld ECG feedback for palpitations in women; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation before practice change.
AIMS: Palpitations, particularly common in women, are generally considered benign symptoms rarely caused by clinically important arrhythmias. Nevertheless, palpitations may cause anxiety, depression, and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study investigates to what degree palpitations cause symptoms such as anxiety and depression and affect HRQOL in women and whether direct feedback of underlying heart rhythm during palpitations decrease anxiety and depression and increase HRQOL in women. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 821 women, age 21-88 years (mean 57 ± 11 years), with symptomatic palpitations recruited using social media. For 60 days, the participants used a handheld electrocardiogram (ECG)-recording device (Coala Heart Monitor) connected to their smartphones. ECG was recorded twice a day and when symptoms were present and was automatically algorithm-interpreted with immediate response to the user. Non-benign arrhythmias were also analysed manually. Questionnaires addressing anxiety and depression-Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), HRQOL (RAND-36), and Symptoms Checklist: Frequency and Severity (SCL)-were analysed before and after the data were collected. A total of 101 804 ECG recordings were automatically analysed. In 94%, sinus rhythm or premature atrial/ventricular contraction were recorded; in 6%, atrial fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia were recorded. Apart from premature ventricular contractions, no ventricular arrhythmias were documented. Anxiety and depression (HADS and GAD-7) decreased (P < 0.001) as did frequency and severity of symptoms, and HRQOL increased in all domains (P < 0.001) at the 2-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Instant analysis of the ECG with direct response during palpitations decreases symptoms, anxiety, and depression and increases HRQOL in women.
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Carnlöf et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Symptomatic palpitations (n=821). Handheld electrocardiogram (ECG)-recording device (Coala Heart Monitor) was evaluated on Anxiety and depression (HADS and GAD-7), frequency and severity of symptoms, and HRQOL (RAND-36) (p=<0.001). Instant ECG feedback using a handheld device for 60 days significantly decreased anxiety and depression and increased health-related quality of life in women with symptomatic palpitations (P<0.001).
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