Key result
Smartwatch detects new-onset VT in a pregnant patient, expediting medical management.
Why the study?
While smartwatch arrhythmia detection initially focused on atrial fibrillation, fewer reports exist for other arrhythmias, particularly in pregnancy.
Case Report (n=1)
Smartwatches can be a useful non-invasive tool for detecting serious arrhythmias like ventricular tachycardia during pregnancy, facilitating prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary management.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May aid VT detection in pregnancy; hypothesis-generating case report requiring prospective validation before practice change.
Smartwatches provide health tracking in various ways and there has been a recent rise in reporting cardiac arrhythmias. While original studies focused on atrial fibrillation, fewer reports have been made on other arrhythmias especially in pregnancy. We report a pregnant patient who presented at 34 weeks' gestation with palpitations. An ECG recorded through her Apple Watch showed ventricular tachycardia. Hospital ECG confirmed monomorphic ventricular tachycardia likely caused by increased sympathetic tone from the gravid state. She was admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit for close monitoring with intravenous anti-arrhythmic agents; however, the rhythm persisted. She underwent a caesarean delivery and the arrhythmia resolved post partum. She later underwent a catheter ablation, after which she discontinued all anti-arrhythmic medications with no recurrence. This case highlights the importance of requesting relevant digital health information, if available, from patients in our modern era. Controlled clinical studies are needed to validate such practices.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Mei et al. (2024) conducted a case report in New-onset monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in pregnancy (n=1). Smartwatch ECG monitoring was evaluated on Detection of ventricular tachycardia. A smartwatch successfully detected new-onset monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in a pregnant patient at 34 weeks' gestation, facilitating expedited medical management.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: