Study reveals gap between monitoring heart health and working with a doctor

Technological advances are making it increasingly easier for people to self-monitor their heart health, either with a smart device on their wrist or finger, or with a blood pressure monitor. But a new nationwide study commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that while many Americans use heart-monitoring devices, few share that data with their doctor.

The survey of 1,008 Americans found that nearly two-thirds regularly use devices to monitor their heart health, with the most popular being a smartwatch (32%), a portable blood pressure monitor (31%), a fitness app (19%), and a wearable fitness/movement tracker (13%). Of those who use the device, only 1 in 4 use the data to get their doctor to talk to them about their heart health.

These self-monitoring devices are really helpful for patients and their health care providers because they can potentially detect diseases at an early stage. For example, if patients monitor their blood pressure at home and notice it rising over time, they may want to discuss it with their doctor sooner rather than wait for their annual visit. They can also record irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, on their devices much earlier than they are diagnosed in a doctor’s office.”

Laxmi Mehta, MD, Director of Preventive Cardiology and Women’s Cardiovascular Health, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Mehta is also the Sarah Ross Soter Foundation Chair for Women’s Cardiovascular Health Research.

Mehta said patients are increasingly asking her about the pros and cons of health self-monitoring devices. One such patient is 78-year-old Sue VanWassenhove of Upper Arlington, whose children bought her a smartwatch to monitor her health after several falls. VanWassenhove suffers from sleep apnea, which affects her heart rate and breathing, so she carefully watches what the device records. When her smartwatch showed a pattern of declining heart rate, she made an appointment with Mehta.

“Normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute without exercise. Your heart rate may vary depending on heart disease or a variety of non-cardiac causes, such as infection, dehydration, anxiety, or thyroid disorders. When someone’s heart rate or rhythm seems different than usual, it’s best for them to talk to their doctor, Mehta said.

When it comes to exercise, maximum heart rate can be calculated by subtracting a person’s age from 220. For moderate-intensity exercise, the goal is to hit 50-75% of that number and 70-85% for vigorous-intensity exercise, Mehta said. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week to maintain a healthy heart.

During her meeting with Mehta, VanWassenhove learned that her smartwatch could perform an EKG, which records electrical signals in the heart, and could then transmit the results to Mehta via her electronic health record.

“Having a smartwatch motivates me a lot because I am not passive when it comes to health care. I have some heart issues that require monitoring and it is important to talk to my cardiologist or GP about any health issues that come up on my screen. be careful,” VanWassenhove said.

Research methodology

This survey was conducted by SSRS on the Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-monthly probability-based survey. Data was collected on December 16–18, 2024 on a sample of 1,008 respondents. The survey was conducted via the Internet (n=978) and telephone (n=30) and was conducted in English. The margin of error for all respondents is +/-3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel aggregate data is weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults aged 18 or older.