Publications
Self-Reported Wearable Heart Rate Data May Be Useful in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyperthyroidism
Authors: Neinstein, A.B., Blum, M., Masharani, U.
Published: May 2020
Dear Editor,
There has recently been a proliferation of direct-to-consumer wearable devices like FitBit and Apple Watch, which record metrics that include step count and heart rate, as well as cardiac function as electrocardiogram tracings (1). Thyroid hormone has a direct effect on cardiac electrical activity, and thyroid disorders frequently have cardiovascular manifestations. Hyperthyroidism is associated with sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation (2), while hypothyroidism is characterized by sinus bradycardia (3). We report here two clinical cases that illustrate the potential benefits of using data from wearable devices in the management of thyroid disease.