Fitbit and CE-marked software firm announce heart monitoring tie-up

Fitbit and health screening and monitoring app FibriCheck, has announced a partnership enabling users in Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and the UK to monitor their heart rhythm for irregularities, such as Atrial Fibrillation (AF) directly from their Fitbit smartwatch.

The FibriCheck software, which is CE marked, meets the performance standards for medical devices in the European Union (EU). The app runs on Fitbit OS and uses Fitbit’s commercial-grade PPG (photoplethysmography) sensors – light-based technology that measures the rate of blood flow – to capture heart rhythm measurements from a user’s wrist. The measurement assessment can be viewed directly on the smartwatch screen and easily shared with medical professionals via a FibriCheck web interface to help diagnose conditions such as AF.

Nicola Maxwell, director of health solutions & service, EMEA for Fitbit, said: “For more than a decade, Fitbit has helped millions of consumers around the world get healthier by providing them with a holistic picture of their health and wellness. Our partnership with FibriCheck expands on this vision by offering an accessible way for people to detect irregular heart rhythms using their Fitbit smartwatch, helping them to potentially identify and monitor heart conditions like atrial fibrillation.

“FibriCheck is the first CE-marked app to be available on Fitbit smartwatches in the EU and its addition to the platform complements our expanding range of technology-based solutions that can help drive positive health outcomes.”

The FibriCheck smartphone app has been available for users to measure their heart rhythm via the camera on their smartphones since 2016. A clinical trial was conducted to validate and support CE Marking of the FibriCheck application on Fitbit smartwatches. The trial compared FibriCheck on Fitbit smartwatches to a 12-lead ECG and wearable single lead ECG technologies. The results indicated that the FibriCheck algorithm on Fitbit smartwatches was highly accurate in correctly detecting the presence of Afib when compared to ECG.

Lars Grieten, CEO, FibriCheck, said: “FibriCheck is an easy-to-use, first step for people who have concerns about their heart health or who have been advised to monitor their heart rhythm consistently by a medical professional. By partnering with Fitbit, we are bringing our technology to millions of consumers’ wrists regardless of mobile device platform, and it provides an accessible option for consumers to better understand their heart health and then easily share those insights with a medical professional who can support their care.”