Fitbit Sense ECG feature goes live – here’s how it works

The ECG app for Fitbit Sense has gone live on devices, meaning users won’t have to wait for the health watch’s biggest feature.

Users in the US, UK and most European countries can now take a spot check of their heart rhythm, and the Fitbit will assess whether it’s an Afib or normal sinus rhythm.

Afib is an irregular heart beat and attributed as one of the leading causes of strokes in the US.

The company received FDA clearance for the ECG feature last month and promised a “mid-October launch”, and it seems the company has been better than its word.

Fitbit validated its ECG feature in multiple, local studies across the globe. According to the study it was able to detect Afib in 98.7% of cases, and was 100% accurate in identifying study participants with normal sinus rhythm.

How to take an ECG reading on Fitbit Sense

If you have a Fitbit Sense you will see the ECG app now in your menu screen on the device.

However, you need to head to the Discover section of the Fitbit app first, and go through a couple of disclaimers, and get a crash course in the different readings before you can begin.

Once that’s done, fire up the app on the Fitbit Sense.

You have to hold the Fitbit Sense with your forefinger and thumb placed on the bottom left and top right corners for the duration of the 30 second test.

Once it’s done you’ll get a reading on the device to tell you what was detected.

You can also get a more detailed look at the result.

Head back to the Discover section of the Fitbit app and tap it to get started. Tap Get Started (again) and then you’ll see your ECG test with the time and date in the menu.

You can get a much more detailed run-down and explanation of what was detected, and have the option to download the test as a PDF. This shows a heart rate graph of your entire test, which you can show to your doctor.

If the test comes out as Afib you’ll definitely want to be talking to your doctor, but it can be a useful tool for other conditions too. If you’re feeling unwell, it can be useful to grab an ECG at that moment, rather than booking a doctors appointment and having a test when you feel fine.

But we should echo Fitbit’s many disclaimers that it cannot detect a heart attack and emergency services, not the Fitbit app, should be your first call if you’re having chest pains.